Peanut Butter Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Jam
Just in time for holidays, the good ol’ PB&J cookie has been elevated to an elegant pastry. With your own raspberry cardamom jam and a distinguished pink stripe, this peanut butter shortbread cookie simply melts in your mouth. Have a glass of milk (perhaps in fine stemware) standing by!
Prep Time:
30 minutes plus time for chilling
Cook Time:
58 minutes
Serves:
about 28 cookies
Perfect for:
Holiday Giftables
Finger Foods
Raspberry Dessert
Ingredients
- 2 ½ Cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 Tsp. salt
- 1/2 Tsp. cinnamon
- 1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 Cup peanut butter, smooth
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 Cup peanut butter, smooth
- 1 ¾ Cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 Tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 Tsp. salt
- 1 – 2 Tbsp. whole milk
- 1 – 2 Tsp. dark pink gel food color
- 1 – 2 drops vodka
- Edible gold leaf, optional
- 2 Packages (6 ounces each) Driscoll’s Raspberries
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 5 ½ Tsp. lemon juice
- 1 Tsp. ground cardamom
Directions
- PLACE 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour into a medium bowl.
- ADD 1/2 teaspoon salt and ADD 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.
- WHISK to combine and SET ASIDE flour mixture.
- PLACE 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- ADD 1 cup granulated sugar.
- MIX until very light and fluffy and SCRAPE DOWN sides of bowl as needed.
- ADD 3/4 cup peanut butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- MIX until thoroughly combined.
- ADD half of flour mixture and MIX just until combined. Do not over mix.
- ADD remaining flour mixture and MIX just until combined. Do not over mix.
- WRAP dough in plastic wrap and FORM dough into a disc.
- REFRIGERATE dough for 2 hours or up to overnight.
- PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
- LINE 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and SET ASIDE.
- DUST a work surface lightly with flour and PLACE dough onto work surface and SPRINKLE dough lightly with flour.
- ROLL OUT dough to about 1/4-inch thickness and SPRINKLE dough with additional flour as needed.
- CUT OUT cookies using a 2 ¼ inch fluted cookie cutter.
- TRANSFER cookies to prepared baking sheets and CHILL in freezer 10 minutes.
- BAKE 17 – 22 minutes or until golden brown in color.
- SET ASIDE cookies to cool to room temperature.
- FIT a piping bag with a small round tip and SET ASIDE.
- PLACE 6 tablespoons unsalted butter into a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.
- ADD 1/2 cup peanut butter.
- WHISK until thoroughly combined.
- ADD 1 ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar.
- ADD 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and ADD 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- MIX until smooth.
- CHECK frosting and ADD 1 – 2 teaspoons whole milk gradually until frosting is a pipeable consistency.
- TRANSFER frosting to prepared piping bag and SET ASIDE.
- PLACE 1 – 2 teaspoons dark pink food gel color into a small bowl.
- ADD 1 – 2 drops vodka and STIR until combined.
- PAINT a stripe across half of the cookies using a pastry brush.
- GARNISH with edible gold leaf, if using.
- PIPE frosting around the outer rim of half the cookies and LEAVE a 1/8-inch border around edges.
- PLACE a dollop of jam in the center of frosting. (REFRIGERATE any remaining jam for up to 4 weeks.)
- PLACE a decorated cookie top onto filled cookie bottom and PRESS down gently to SEAL frosting so jam does not leak.
- SERVE immediately or STORE in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- PLACE 2 packages (6 ounces each) raspberries into a medium saucepan.
- ADD 1 cup granulated sugar, 5 ½ teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon ground cardamom.
- BRING to a boil and CRUSH raspberries until mixture is saucy and coarse.
- COOK 12 minutes over medium-high heat and STIR frequently to prevent sticking.
- REMOVE jam from heat and ALLOW jam to rest 2 – 3 minutes.
- CHECK jam for doneness by swiping a spoon over surface of jam. Jam should cling to spoon in a thick layer.
- TRANSFER jam to a sealable glass jar and INVERT jar and TURN JAR upright again to remove air bubbles.
- SET ASIDE jam to cool until needed.
