Recipe: Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

I've got something to tell you; I married the real-life cookie monster.

I kid you not. If I ever ask Jesse what kind of dessert/treat to make, it's almost always cookies. It doesn't even matter what kind of cookies, as long as they're some kind of cookie, he's as happy as a pig in mud. 

Problem is, most cookie recipes call for creaming butter and sugar and that calls for me pulling out the stand mixer and washing it up at the end. This girl is not a fan of doing dishes so often times when Jesse asks for cookies I end up making something that only involves one bowl that can be thrown in the dishwasher instead.

Luckily for Jesse, this has meant I've come up with quite a few one bowl cookie recipes that mean Jesse gets his cookies and I don't have to deal with the washing up. These cookies were one of those creations which we instantly fell in love with. 

A soft peanut butter cookie makes the base which is then filled with a dollop of strawberry (or whatever flavour you fancy) jam that gets sort of chewy to make the ultimate PB&J inspired cookie that you'll make over and over again. 

Best of all? They take just minutes to make but they taste like heaven. 

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Gluten Free Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies

low fat, gluten free, refined sugar free option, low sugar, dairy free 

makes 24 bite sized cookies or 12 medium sized cookies

1/3 cup (80g) smooth peanut butter

2 tsp (10 ml) rice bran oil or melted coconut oil 

2 tsp vanilla extract 

1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (75g) coconut sugar or brown sugar 

1 egg white 

1 cup (120g) gluten free plain flour 

3/4 tsp baking powder 

~1/2 cup strawberry jam (or your favourite flavour - we used no sugar added strawberry jam) 

• Preheat your oven to 180C/355F.
• Line two  baking sheets with baking paper and set aside.
• Melt your peanut butter and mix with your oil and vanilla.
• Add in your sugar and egg white, mixing until smooth.
• Add your flour and baking powder to your wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. 
• Take around 1 tbsp of mix (for medium cookies, heaped teaspoons for bite sized cookies) and roll into a ball. 
• Flatten your cookie onto your baking sheet, using your finger to press a well into the centre for the jam. 
• Repeat until all of your cookies are formed and fill each of the wells with jam. You want to fill them almost to the top, leaving just a tiny bit of room so they don't overflow. We used around a tsp jam in the medium sized cookies and 1/2 a teaspoon in the bite sized cookies. 
• Bake for 8-12 minutes or until golden on the edges. Cookies will firm up as they cool.
• Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes on the trays before removing.

But tell me, do you have any lazy kitchen hacks?

And what's one kitchen task you hate?

My kitchen hack is just to make sure everything is dishwasher safe so you don't have to do the dishes :P The only things I wash my hand are pots and pans! 

And as for kitchen tasks I hate, as well as washing up I hate grating!