pretty by the bay

A recent trip to one of my favorite specialty food shops yielded a tasty new find: Mariposa plum jam from a local company called, quite simply, welovejam. I adore fresh plums, and thought this flavor would be spectacular if incorporated into a cookie – particularly, a jam thumbprint cookie.

After perusing several recipes, I realized that what I REALLY wanted was something that paired this delectable jam with peanut butter. I’ve made these several times, but they’re a bit labor intensive; seeing as this was a Thursday night, I wanted something quick and easy. Surprisingly, Martha Stewart offered the exact recipe I craved! A chewy, buttery, peanut butter cookie with a tangy, jammy center. Perfect for celebrating Cookie Friday, a “holiday” invented by one of my favorite bloggers!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprints (or, in my case – Plumbprints?)

adapted from marthastewart.com

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 c smooth peanut butter (my suggestion: Trader Joe’s Creamy)

4 oz (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/3 c packed light-brown sugar

1/3 c granulated sugar, plus more for rolling

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 c jam of choice…I used plum

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl with a whisk. Mix peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer set to medium speed, until smooth. Add sugars, and continue mixing until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until fully incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients, mixing until combined. Use a tablespoon to scoop balls of dough, shaping them with your hands. Roll in granulated sugar. Space cookies 2″ apart on baking sheets lined with a Sil Pat or parchment paper. Bake until the cookies are puffy, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven, and press indentations in their centers with the handle end of a wooden spoon or similar object. Return to oven, and bake until edges are golden, roughly 6 to 7 minutes more. Remove cookies from oven and let them cool on the pan for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, heat the jam in the microwave for approximately 30 seconds on high. Stir to ensure the jam “loosens up,” heating more if necessary.   Spoon  1/2 teaspoon of jam into each cookie indentation. Store, covered, in a single layer for up to 1 week.