In Food52 Baking, the editors of Food52 put together a compilation of recipes made for quick and easy weeknight baking.
Flourless peanut butter cookies serve as the “bread” in this reimagined PB&J. Made with only six ingredients, they’re soft and chewy with just the right amount of crispiness at the edges. You can use either smooth or chunky peanut butter depending on your preference (or what’s in your pantry). Once the cookies cool a bit, all that’s left to do is make them into sandwiches with a smear of peanut butter and a dollop of your favorite jam and enjoy them with a tall glass of cold milk.
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Combine the peanut butter, brown sugar, egg, baking soda, and vanilla in a large bowl and stir well. Scoop out teaspoonfuls of the dough and put them on the lined baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Using a fork dipped in granulated sugar, gently press the cookies down. Rotate the fork and press again to make the classic peanut butter cookie crosshatch pattern. The dough is quite sticky, so keep sugaring the fork to prevent sticking.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cookies are soft with light-colored tops but the edges are set and beginning to brown.
- Let cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Turn half of the cookies over and spread the flat side of each with a thin layer of peanut butter, then a teaspoonful of jam, spreading it almost to the edges of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies. (For longer storage, keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 to 4 days, then spread them with peanut butter and jelly right before serving.)
Reprinted with permission from Food52 Baking, copyright © 2015 by The Editors of Food52. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photographs copyright © 2015 by James Ransom
