This recipe takes the flavors of your childhood PB&J sandwich and transforms them into a healthy, vegan cookie kids and adults will love. The creamy natural peanut butter adds a savory richness, but with much less sugar than your average cookie (1). Plus, the 5-minute homemade jam is thickened with chia seeds, adding even more protein and fiber to this dessert (2). If you are working around a peanut allergy, this recipe also makes it easy to swap in the nut butter of your choice.

Active time: 45 minutes | Total time: 2 hours

Vegan PB&J Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (256g) natural creamy peanut or almond butter, well stirred
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp (90g) unsweetened almond or oat milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (120g) regular or gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus a pinch
• 2 cups (300g) raspberries
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp maple or light agave syrup
• 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped salted peanuts or almonds

Directions

In a large bowl, mix the peanut butter with the sugar until smooth. Stir in the almond milk and vanilla. Add the flour, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt, and stir until combined. If the dough is too stiff, use your hands to ensure the flour is fully incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the raspberries over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up the berries with the back of a spoon until the fruit begins to bubble and break down, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chia seeds, maple or light agave syrup, and a pinch of kosher salt. Remove the jam from the heat and let it cool, stirring occasionally, until thickened. You should have about 3/4 cup.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Portion the dough into 24 1-tbsp balls. Roll the dough balls in the finely chopped salted peanuts or almonds, if using. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Using a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, press an indentation into each ball.

Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are set and beginning to brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks. Using the 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, gently re-press the indentation into each cookie, then spoon a mounded 1/2 tsp of jam into each well. Reserve any remaining jam for another use. Let the cookies cool completely before serving.

The cookies can be baked up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in a single layer. If you are short on time or do not have fresh or frozen berries on hand, you can substitute 3/4 cup of homemade jam of your choice.

Serves: 12 | Serving Size: 2 cookies

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 253; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 218mg; Carbohydrate: 27g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugar: 12g; Protein: 9g

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium: 5%; Iron: 7%; Potassium: 180 mg; Vitamin C: 11%

Originally published: September 12, 2020; Updated: July 2026