Peanut Butter and Jelly (and more!) Thumbprints

Okay, so I have a hard time refusing anything peanut butter. Really, I do. I love the taste, texture, stickiness, everything about peanut butter! So when I see new peanut butter cookies, what do I do? Make them!!!

It actually started out when I was reading Shannalee's post on foodloveswriting and I saw the delicious peanut butter cookies she made... I wanted them badly. Well, I finally got to making them one horrible night, but instead of dipping them into chocolate, I pressed the bottom of an apple peeler into the middle of them half way through the baking process and made thumbprints instead!

So the fillings aren't homemade. I used Smuckers red raspeberry preserves, black raspberry preserves, Smuckers hot fudge and that caramel stuff that you can get at Jewel to dip your apple slices in. I was lazy, upset, and needed a quick fix, what can I say???

Peanut Butter Thumbprints
adapted from foodloveswriting, who adapted her recipe from Joy the Baker

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover two large cookie sheets w/ foil or parchment paper.

Beat the butter and peanut butter w/ an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat on medium speed for a minute.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add this flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and beat on low until just combined.

Scoop the dough into even sized balls w/ a cookie scoop (it's like a really mini-ice cream scoop). Place on the lined cookie sheet aprx 2 inches apart. Bake for aprx 10 min, until they are puffy. Take the bottom of an apple corer (or any kitchen tool w/a rounded bottom) and press the tip onto the top of the cookie, creating a little bowl for the topping. Bake for another 6-7 mins, until the edges are a golden brown.

Let cool just a bit and fill w/ whatever your heart desires!!!

It's better to have them cool a bit but not completely so that whatever topping you choose can melt a bit into the cookie.

I have to say, I was outside getting my car blessed (short version of a long story, me and my car were hit w/ the evil eye. I'm not crazy) so I took the cookies out at 11 mins to make the impressions in them and then they were in another 6 mins, and my mom took them out, but I let them cool too long before topping them, so the topping really didn't "glue" itself to the cookie. No biggie. We all ate them anyways!!!

Black raspberry and red raspberry flavors

Caramel and hot fudge topping. The caramel was my fav, hands down. I did have to melt the hot fudge for 20 secs in the microwave to make it easier to drop into the cookie imprints. Yum.