The time I made PB&J cookies..

Peanut butter jelly time, peanut butter jelly time. Anyone else have that going through their head now? No, just me, right then let’s get to it. The classic PB&J has always been a staple for many a child and mine are no exception. We always have a jar of Jiff peanut butter on our shopping list. Recently, my grocery delivery service sent a substitute jar and it was the fancy organic kind. I’m talking the kind most hipsters covet but few can afford. I swear angels sang when I opened it up. I imagined this magic peanutty goodness would make up for all the parenting points I lost when I let the kids eat Ritz crackers for breakfast, but I was wrong.

When they tried it, they hared it. It was oily, it was chalky, it looked funny, it felt funny, it had specks, and on they went. The fancy peanut butter was put back into the cupboard. As time went on, it was pushed further and further into oblivion.

About a week ago I purchased the Gordan Ramsey’s Ultimate Home Cooking cookbook. While flipping through all the meals I wouldn’t make I saw his Peanut Butter and Jam Cookies. I knew instantly this was how I could use up that fancy peanut butter.

I made a few substitutions, noted below, but the end result was amazing cookies and the kids loved them. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to polish my parenting award.

Wish you were here,

xoxo

INGREDIENTS

• Muscovado sugar 185 g (3/4 cup)

  • I did not know what Muscovado was, turns out brown sugar is just fine.

• Peanut butter 325 g (1 1/3 cup)

  • I used the fancy stuff the kids didn’t like

• Butter 125 g (1/2 cup)

• 1 egg

• Milk 3 tablespoons

• 1 vanilla stick

  • I used 2tsp regular vanilla extract

• Baking powder 1 tsp

• Flour 185 g 1 1/3 cup)

  • I used self-rising flour

• Jam 125 g (1/2 cup)

• Salt

MAKES 30 COOKIES

I used a cookie scoop rather than roll out the cookies. I then used a heavily floured spoon to make the well for the peanut butter and jam

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 (360°)and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.

  1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

  2. Put the butter, 200g (3/4 cup) of the peanut butter and the sugar into a large separate bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla seeds and egg and beat until smooth. Gradually sift in the flour mixture and beat until combined.

  3. Using lightly floured hands, roll the dough into 30 balls slightly smaller than a walnut, gently flatten them and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Using 1 or 2 fingers, press down in the middle of each one to make a shallow indent. Place a ½ teaspoon of jam and a ½ teaspoon of peanut butter in each indent.

  4. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until pale golden. Using a spatula, transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool before serving.