Ingredients:

  • 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter, packed
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup high-quality raspberry or strawberry jam/preserve

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until just combined and slightly creamy, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until the mixture is uniform and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Do not overmix.
  4. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the dough. Mix briefly (10-15 seconds) until the leavening agent is fully incorporated.
  5. Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes. This chilling process prevents excessive spreading.
  6. Use a cookie scoop (approx. 25g/1.5 tbsp) to portion the dough. Roll the portions into smooth balls and place them 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. Using a fork, gently press down on each cookie ball to create a flat disc, making the traditional criss-cross hash mark pattern. (Dip the fork in sugar or water between presses if the dough sticks.)
  8. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the trays halfway through, until the edges are golden brown and slightly set, but the centres still look soft.
  9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Ensure they are entirely cool before assembly.
  10. Once cool, match up pairs of cookies of similar size. Spread approximately 1–1.5 teaspoons of jam on the flat side of one cookie.
  11. Gently press the second cookie on top to form the sandwich. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.