Peanut butter and jelly sandwich cookies are a healthier back-to-school treat! The cookies are filled with low sugar jelly, and shaped to look like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Kids will think they’re a fun treat, and parents will love that they’re a healthy snack option.
School is back in session, and these cookies are a lower sugar snack idea for lunch boxes or for after school snacks.
Sandwiches, particularly the peanut butter and jelly variety, seem to be popular with the lunch box crowd. This healthy cookie recipe is made in honor of that sandwich, and it will bring some smiles!
I recently joined a monthly cookie baker’s group called Creative Cookie Exchange. It’s administrators are Laura from The Spiced Life and Rebecka from At Home with Rebecka. Each month, everyone in the group bakes up cookies with a unique recipe that’s based on the theme for that month. This month’s theme is BACK TO SCHOOL cookies!
If you’ve been following along with me for the past few months, you are likely aware that I’m trying to shed a few pounds. That being the case, I created a lower carb cookie… one with less sugar than most. But any good cookie (in my opinion) needs to contain SOME sugar. Without the use of sugar (which acts a tenderizer), cookies get too crispy for my liking.
That’s why the best cookies and brownies are chewy! We also need sugar to caramelize, giving a perfectly golden color to our cookies. That’s why I decided to make peanut butter cookies. Most store-bought peanut butter has a good deal of sugar in it, so reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe is easy.
The carbohydrates are lowered by using my favorite low-carb baking mix from Bob’s Red Mill. The whole grains give it a nice brown color that resembles whole wheat bread, making it the perfect choice for these cookies.
I could have made or purchased a completely sugar-free jam to use as the filling for these cookies, but I decided to use what I had on hand in the fridge. It was all-natural and a little lower in sugar, but not completely sugar-free.
Brian is the primary user of jams and jellies in our house, and I don’t usually force my low carb regime on him. It helps to keep our relationship on an even keel if I keep his tummy happy 🙂
Although it tested my patience (or lack thereof), I made the peanut butter and jelly sandwich cookies icebox style. The dough is shaped into the form of a loaf of bread by pressing into the sides and top of the dough to make indents. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours before slicing and baking.
Do your kids have any favorite lunch box treats that are a little on the unhealthy side? Do you need more healthy snack ideas?
Use the comments below to let me know what their favorites are, and I’ll try to make a healthier version of them!
Two more healthy snack ideas are my recipes for ranch roasted nuts snack mix and spicy Parmesan kale chips.
I hope your kids love these peanut butter and jelly sandwich cookies!
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies
Your favorite jam or jelly is sandwiched between bread shaped, chewy, peanut butter cookies. An adorably sweet "sandwich" that will bring out the kid in you!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup powdered peanut butter, like PB2 (or low sugar creamy peanut butter)
- 1/4 cup water (only if using the powdered peanut butter)
- 1/4 cup erythritol (or your favorite cup-for-cup sugar substitute)
- 1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar (or your favorite light brown sugar substitute)
- 1 egg
- 2.5 tablespoons almond milk (or regular milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.25 cups low carb baking mix
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Any flavor or variety of sugar free jam, jelly, or fruit preserves
Directions
- Using a large mixing bowl and a hand mixer, or a stand mixer, combine the peanut butter and sugars. Beat for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed, until light & fluffy.
- In a medium sized bowl, add and whisk together the baking mix/flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and beat JUST UNTIL COMBINED.
- Take the dough and shape it into a rectangular block. Use your fingers to press along the middle of the top and along the sides to form indentations along the length of the block. The dough should now resemble a loaf of bread. Wrap the loaf in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Once the dough is well chilled, heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and unwrap. Cut dough into slices, approximately 1/4 inch in thickness and arrange them on the prepared pan at 1-2 inches apart from one another.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and allow cookies to sit on pan for 2-3 minutes before using a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, use a knife to spread jam, jelly, or preserves onto the top of one cookie. Layer a second cookie on top.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from Closet Cravings
Thank you so much for visiting me today!
If you make this recipe, I'd love it if you'd share a photo and/or give your feedback over on my Facebook page, Cooking with Chef Bec!
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39 Replies to "Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Cookies"
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Carla August 21, 2014 (8:48 pm)
Oh my gosh I can’t get over how cute these mini sandwiches are!
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Miranda October 14, 2013 (12:18 pm)
These are so cute! I love this idea. Sorry I’m so late leaving a comment. 😀
Becca Heflin October 14, 2013 (12:29 pm)
There’s never a “too late” for comment leaving, Miranda! Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂
Laura October 6, 2013 (2:02 pm)
I loved this post. And yes tears were shed, internally if nothing else, around here. Thanks so much for joining us–I think your back to school cookies are especially adorable and clever!
Becca Heflin October 6, 2013 (2:05 pm)
Thank you, Laura! 🙂
Carla October 5, 2013 (3:06 pm)
I love how these look like little mini sandwiches!
Anita at Hungry Couple September 24, 2013 (6:21 am)
They really do look like bread sandwiches.n 🙂 It’s nice that these are a little healthier but, when it comes to my beloved peanut butter, I don’t discriminate. 🙂
Greenthumb September 23, 2013 (2:17 am)
These sound real good, I love any thing with peanut butter in them.
Becca Heflin September 23, 2013 (2:44 am)
Thanks for stopping by with the nice compliment! 🙂
Elizabeth @ Confessions of a Baking Queen September 22, 2013 (12:46 am)
Super cute cookies, and I agree any good cookie must have sugar in it! Love that they look like little pieces of wheat bread!! And I become whiny when waiting for baked goods too!! Its so frustrating so then I Try to freeze things, but then nothing is consistently cold or it’s gone rock hard! UGh I need some patience lol
Becca Heflin September 22, 2013 (8:41 am)
Thanks for the sweet compliment, Liz! I’m SO glad that I have a whiny, impatient twin! 🙂
[email protected] Family Feast September 18, 2013 (8:56 am)
Becca – What a clever idea for a cookie! My daughter is itching to have me bake these for her… So adorable and creative! Pinned!
Becca Heflin September 18, 2013 (10:13 am)
Thanks so much, Martha!
Kim - Liv Life September 17, 2013 (9:58 pm)
These are indeed little works of love!! My kids would adore them. This year both of my kids are in high school and for the first time in 12 years I don’t have to drive. My son has his drivers license, and on the first day I wasn’t quite sure if I should be happy or sad. 2nd day I decided I’m happy!! I’m LOVING not driving!! I only have one year of this though as he leaves for college next year.
Becca Heflin September 17, 2013 (10:29 pm)
Thanks, Kim! You’ll grow to love the morning time you get for yourself because your kids don’t need a ride to school! 🙂
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories September 17, 2013 (6:18 pm)
Becca, Those are amazingly adorable!!!! I haven’t tried Candy Crush yet, and from what I understand, I need to avoid it, because I can get obsessed!!!
Becca Heflin September 17, 2013 (6:20 pm)
Thanks, Karen! Oh, YES, my friend… Candy Crush is the
addictiongame you’ll love to hate!Renee September 17, 2013 (5:33 pm)
So cute how you shaped the dough log into bread loaves. And I really like the healthier, less sugar factor to these. Now, I’m a major fan of PB&J and always have been. What great cookies!!!
Felice/All That's Left Are The Crumbs September 17, 2013 (4:02 pm)
Your cookies are just adorable and I am looking forward to trying them soon. I am sure they will be a big hit with my daughters and their friends.
Becca Heflin September 17, 2013 (4:03 pm)
Thanks, Felice! I hope your daughters love them 🙂
Sophie Remer September 17, 2013 (3:25 pm)
These are soooo cute!!! 🙂 Such a great idea! And you can totally mix them up with different versions of jams. So yummy!
Becca Heflin September 17, 2013 (3:39 pm)
Thanks so much, Sophie! I agree with you… There’s LOTS of room for variation and individualization 🙂
Holly September 17, 2013 (1:25 pm)
Oh gosh these are adorable! Great idea and even better execution of the idea. really cute!
Becca Heflin September 17, 2013 (1:34 pm)
Thank you, Holly! I had lots of fun creating them
Rebecka September 17, 2013 (10:34 am)
Becca, these are the cutest cookies ever! I love that they are lower in sugar since I’m in the same boat trying to shed some weight as well! Thank you so much for being a part of our Creative Cookie Exchange. You really brought it this month with our Back to School Theme, I can’t wait to see what you’re cooking up for next month’s theme!
Becca Heflin September 17, 2013 (11:56 am)
You’re so sweet, Rebecka… thank you! I’m excited to see everyone’s submissions and I can’t wait for next month’s theme!
Stacy September 17, 2013 (7:38 am)
What a cute idea, Becca! Just looking at your photos of those adorable cookies puts a smile on my face. Imagine finding them in a lunchbox! What a treat.
Becca Heflin September 17, 2013 (7:59 am)
Thanks so much, Stacy! Fun sized and fun themed made these cookies a huge treat!
Dionne Baldwin September 16, 2013 (12:38 pm)
Oh my these are so cute! They look like little slices of bread! I like to keep refined sugars at a minimum so I only eat them when it really matters. Otherwise, I try to let naturally sweet fruits do their job or I like honey. I like that you thought about the store bought peanut butter sugar content. And did I mention that these cookies are SO cute?! I’m going to have to try these.
Becca Heflin September 16, 2013 (4:41 pm)
Thank you so much, Dionne! They were lots of fun to make… and eat! 🙂
Kristen September 16, 2013 (5:41 am)
I love how you made the cookies look like little slices of bread! What an adorable cookie treat. Pinned!!
Becca Heflin September 16, 2013 (6:59 am)
Thanks so much, Kristen! They were as fun to eat as they were to make! 🙂
Desiree September 15, 2013 (10:57 am)
These are so cute! What a great idea to do a healthier version too. I agree with you, I have a hard time waiting for things to chill before continuing, its torture!
Becca Heflin September 15, 2013 (11:19 am)
Thanks, Des! I think I need to work on my patience, but in the meantime, thank goodness we have 1 minute mug cake! 🙂
Karen @BakingInATornado September 15, 2013 (9:28 am)
What a cute idea. I’ve, of course, made different icebox cookies, I never thought to shape the dough. When appealing to kids, cookies are not just about the flavor. When the look is appealing you can literally see their eyes widen. I go for that look every time, and these cookies will do it.
Becca Heflin September 15, 2013 (11:17 am)
Tease ’em with the eyes, then please those tastebuds!