Mrs. Fields & iVillage 30th Anniversary Cookie Contest (686 photos) My Own Creation (274 photos)

PB&J Cookies

I love peanut butter and jelly. In fact, my during my first week away at college, I ate nothing but peanut butter and jelly sandwiches until I finally found the dining hall! So I decided it would be perfect to combine peanut butter and jelly with everyone's favorite treat, cookies. I modified an old recipe for date-filled cookies, adding peanut butter to the cookie and replacing the date filling with jelly. This is a treat for the young and young at heart!

Cookie:
1 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Filling:
Cherry preserves (or whatever kind of jelly is your favorite)

Cream shortening, peanut butter, and sugars. Add egg, milk, and vanilla beat well. Stir together dry ingredients add to creamed mixture and mix well. Chill for 1 hour. On a floured pastry cloth, roll dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2 inch round cutter. Place dough circles on an ungreased cookie sheet. Place about 1 teaspoon cherry preserves on each top with another dough circle and pinch edges closed. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-18 minutes. Makes about 3 dozen.