PB & J Thumbprint Cookies

I’m having one of those days.  And not a bad day, but one of those amazingly good days where you feel like absolutely nothing can happen to dampen your mood.  I woke up a half hour before my alarm to sunlight streaming in from my window.  I found that since I’ve left my blinds open at night I have a much easier time waking up.  Something about the sunlight seems to send a message to my brain that I should be getting up, so I wake up well rested and ready to face the day.  Let me tell you, after one too many groggy mornings, that is not something to be taken lightly!

I’m proud to say that it is now six days into Lent and I have not touched a single baked good!  I’ve been tempted several times – cookies for a classmate’s birthday and little poppyseed muffins at church – but I’ve held strong. It’s getting easier.  I have to admit, though, when I baked those cookies I wanted SO bad to eat one of the leftovers.  It just seems like a crime to have all those cookies there and not eat one!  I then told myself to suck it up and in a few weeks I’d be able to eat them, so I got my act together and ate some grapes instead.

The entire time I was wishing they were cookies.  But, it’s fine.  It’s, what, another 34 days?  I can do that.  Totally.  I can control myself.  Just because I want cookies and muffins and scones (oh my!) does not mean I need to eat them.

Anyhoo, just because I can’t eat cookies doesn’t mean I can’t post about them.  In fact, I will probably post a lot of them.  I will live vicariously through my blog!  Today I bring you a recipe I made early in the my first semester here.  They were the first cookies I brought over to the neighbors, and are probably the only reason they tolerate me.

A delicate peanut butter cookie base is topped with a touch of strawberry jelly.  It’s your favorite middle school lunch staple in cookie form, which I pretty much think is reason enough to make these.  The cookies come together relatively quickly and keep well in a tupperware.  If you’re not similarly abstaining from sweets, I highly recommend these!  Even if you are, make them and share them with the people you love.

PB & J Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 3/4 cups crushed peanuts

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup strawberry jam

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Mix the flour and peanuts and set aside.  In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Scrape down the sides and mix in the vanilla extract.  Gradually add the peanut-flour mixture until combined.  You may have to use your hands to fully form the dough.

 

Drop tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet.  Press your index finger into the center of the cookie, being careful not to press too hard.  Bake 15-18 minutes.  Let cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, and then remove to a wire rack.

 

In a small sauce pan bring the jam to a boil.  Spoon into the thumbprints.  Let cool.

Source:  Joy The Baker

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