So it's been a while... but who wants some peanut-butter and jam cookies?

I do!

I was in a little bit of a craze today... and what fixes a craze the most? How about some baking! I promise you blog readers (those of you who haven't given up on us already) that I am not gone for good. I do have something keeping me busy until the middle of September, and I've pretty much been awol (out of the city) most of the summer (or had some awesome out-of-town guest! Yes... you Jayanna... and I guess your husband, my lovely brother, and my sweet-sweet nephew). I will be back though! I have SO SO many recipes (baking and cooking) that I'm excited to try, but it'll mostly have to wait until the middle of September (unless another craze hits ha ha). Anyways, I bookmarked many cookie recipes and let my mom decide which one I should make... she chose the Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies from my cookbook The Vegan Table (by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau). This is a great cookbook, but this is my first time trying one of the recipes! It's based on the idea of cooking meals for others. They have seasonal menus, menus just for two and even holiday menus.

So, as I don't have a lot of time... let's get down to business...

The dough gets kind of flaky, but as long as you're able to roll them into a ball then it should be good (if not add a little more dairy-free milk)

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies

Makes: 2-2 1/2 dozen cookies (mine made 2 1/2 dozen)

Ingredients:

-1/3 cup non-dairy, non0hydrogenated butter (I used Earth Balance)

-1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

-1/2 cup natural peanut butter, creamy or chunky

-2 tablespoons non-dairt milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

-3/4 teaspoon baking powder

-2 to 3 tablespoons strawberry (or any) jam (I used saskatoon berry jam)

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375 F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper

-Beat butter, brown sugar, peanut butter, milk and vanilla in a large bowl

-Combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl and add/mix into wet ingredients

-Add extra moisture/non-dairy milk if needed (if you can't roll into balls)

-Roll batter into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet

-Use your thumb to make a well in the cookie (the edges will crack a little, so try to put them together as best as you can and patch as you go)

-Fill each well with 1/4 teaspoon of the chosen jam

-Bake for 10-11 minutes (be careful. I'm used to baking with bigger cookies and the bottoms of these cookies burn very quickly, I would say they took 9 1/2 to 10 1/2 minutes, but just watch them closely)

-Remove from oven, let cook on pan for 2 minutes and then transfer them to cooling racks

And delicious! Seriously, these are AMAZING... go make some...