Peanut butter and jam thumbprint cookies

Peanut butter was a lunchbox staple when I was growing up in Canada — peanut butter and jam sandwiches, peanut-butter-filled celery sticks, peanut butter cookies…

With the rise of nut allergies and “nut-free” schools, peanut butter has  fallen off the menu, and these peanut butter and jam thumbprint cookies are now a weekend treat.

Peanut butter and jam thumbprint cookies
(makes about 3 dozen cookies)

• 1¼ cups plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt 
• ¾ cup smooth peanut butter
• 110g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup caster sugar (plus more for rolling)
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together the peanut butter and butter until smooth.
4. Add the brown and caster sugar and beat until fluffy.
5. Mix in the egg and vanilla, then stir in the dry ingredients.
6. Form the dough into walnut-sized balls, roll in sugar, then arrange them on greased or lined cookie sheets.
7. Bake for about ten minutes, or until the cookies are puffy.
8. Remove from the oven, and make indentations in the centre of each cookie with the handle of a wooden spoon.
9. Return to the oven, and bake for another 5-6 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden.
10. Cool on a wire rack.
11. Heat the jam in the microwave or a small saucepan. Spoon a half teaspoon of jam into the centre of each cookie and leave to set.

Tags: cookies, peanut butter, vegetarian