Who doesn’t love a PB & J SANDWICH? There’s something so nostalgic and comforting when eating one. I always preferred mine with strawberry jam and crunchy peanut butter. It’s pretty much a perfect flavor combo and there are so many iterations of it. So of course I had to create some yummy cookies of my own. And these Brown Butter PB & J Cookies are so special! It’s a brown butter & peanut butter cookie base filled with strawberry preserves. When baked it gets all gooey, warm and delicious in the center and sometimes the jam seeps out.
These cookies have brown butter in them and uses both white and brown sugar. The brown butter enhances the peanut butter flavor and adds toasty, warm notes throughout that makes them even more addicting. I like to use strawberry jam, but grape or even mixed berry would also be delicious! Use any flavor you’d like.
Instead of putting peanut butter in the middle I wanted to make a very peanut butter-y flavored cookie with a strawberry jammy center just like the sandwich, but in a delicious cookie form instead. You have to try these cookies! They are my favorite take on the childhood classic.
How to make Brown Butter PB & J Cookies
- Cream the brown butter and sugars for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the egg and mix for another minute until well incorporated.
- Next, add in the peanut butter. Mix until smooth (creamy peanut butter works best for this recipe, not natural).
- Lastly, add the dry ingredients and mix until there are no pockets of flour left.
- Using a large cookie or ice cream scoop, about 3-4 tbsp, form the dough into a ball and then make a hole in the center to fill with the preserves or jam. Seal and roll it back into a ball. Bake 3-4 at a time so there is room for spreading.
Some jam may seep out when rolling and while they’re baking and that’s perfectly fine. That’s my favorite thing about these cookies. There are gooey warm centers of jam in some and in others, the jam seeps out in the cracks of the cookie.
Brown Butter PB & J Cookies
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
- Large Cookie scoop or ice cream scoop
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
- Parchment Paper
- Teaspoon measure
Ingredients
- 10 tbsp butter
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temp
- ⅓ cup peanut butter creamy (not natural)
- 1¼ C + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼-⅓ cup strawberry preserves or your preferred flavor
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- Melt the butter in a saucepan on low to medium heat. Using a spatula, stir the butter often and let it brown. This should take about 5-6 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl. Place it in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes until softened.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the softened brown butter, sugar & vanilla. Cream for 2-3 minutes on medium. Add the egg and continue mixing for another minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Next, add the peanut butter and mix until well incorporated. Add in the flour, baking soda & salt. Mix until there are no dry pockets of flour left.
- Using a large ice cream scoop, about 3-4 tbsp, form the dough into a ball and create a well in the center using your thumb, Add 1 tsp of your preserves and seal it using your fingertips. Roll it back into a ball. It can get bit messy, so it's ok if some jam seeps out. Once All the cookies are filled, bake them on a parchment lined sheet tray for 12-14 minutes. Allow room for spreading. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on their tray. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- You can make the brown butter in advance and leave it in the fridge. Once you’re ready to use, let it to sit out until room temp.
- Bake the cookies on a sheet tray 3-4 at a time so there is plenty of room for spreading.
