"Happiness, I have grasped, is a destination, just like strawberry fields. Once you find your way in, there you are, and you'll never feel low again." - Rachel Simon
It's the most wonderful time of the year—strawberry season! These gorgeous, ruby-red beauties are plentiful here in North Carolina, and we don't think there's any better use for them than in a decadent, peanut-buttery dessert (think PB&J, on a whole other level).
These cookies, made with our flagship Peanut Butter (we think they'd be pretty delicious made with our Chai Spice Peanut & Almond Butter, too), can be customized any way you like , but you can't go wrong serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a generous serving of this gorgeous strawberry jam—perfect Memorial Day weekend dessert, anyone?
INGREDIENTS
Cookies:
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup Big Spoon Roasters Peanut Butter (of choice)
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Jam:
- 2 pints strawberries, hulled and cut in half
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground Saigon cinnamon
- 2 tsp cornstarch
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp salt.
- In a large bowl, combine softened butter, 1 cup Peanut Butter, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar. Mix well.
- When combined, add 1 egg and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, and mix until well incorporated.
- Add dry ingredient mixture in ½ cup increments until just combined. Do not over-mix, as it could cause cookies to be tough. The dough will be soft.
- Refrigerate dough while preparing the strawberry mixture.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups cut strawberries, juice of 1 lemon, 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, ½ tsp ground ginger, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon.
- Make a cornstarch “slurry” by combining 2 tsp cornstarch and 2tsp water and stirring until combined. Pour into strawberry mixture and stir to coat.
- Cook strawberry mixture over medium heat until the strawberries have cooked down, and the juices have thickened to create a jam-like consistency. When thickened, remove from heat and cool (or refrigerate once it has cooled slightly).
- While the strawberries are cooking, remove your cookie dough from the fridge, and scoop 7-9 cookies around 2 Tbsp in size. Flatten with the palm of your hand, and press the tines of a fork into the top of a cookie to create a cross-hatched pattern.
- Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
- Remove cookies from the oven and cool slightly.
- Cookies are best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and topped with a hefty spoonful or two of the strawberry jam mixture. If you’re feeling extra indulgent, these make an incredible ice cream sandwich with a surprise jam center 😊
Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker.