Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Cookies (flourless)

I had a great weekend back in my hometown. My mom and I met up there and basically wrapped up loose ends with the wedding details.

I feel like it’s almost all done! Hooray! At this point, it’s almost two months until the wedding, and I’m ready to just ride the wave and see what happens. How exciting!

We ate our way through the weekend and it was SO tasty. We shared this flourless chocolate torte that was AHHHHmazing! Happy Birthday to me indeed (yes, it’s still a few days away, but when I see cake and it’s almost my birthday…then let’s call it even!).

Since the wedding is creeping closer, I keep trying to figure out in my mind what to do next with myself. Should I keep going to the gym as usual? Should I be more mindful of what’s on my plate? Should I explode in a dramatic Bridezilla rage over something ridiculous? Try an outrageous cleanse?

So many choices! Oh, wait, then there are better choices…

Like cookies! Yeah, I have a lot of problems giving things up or lashing out in rage when there are Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Cookies coming out of my oven.

These aren’t just any peanut butter cookies! Didn’t you catch the cheesecake part?! They have fluffy, sweet, tangy cream cheese! AND fig jam!! Oh my gahhhh I LOVE fig jam!

Well, you’ll definitely want these too, so enough of my rambling!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Cheesecake Cookies (flourless)
(makes approximately 18 cookies)

¼ cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

½ cup creamy peanut butter

2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 egg

½ tsp. vanilla extract

¼ tsp. salt

¼ cup fig jam

~In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Cream with a hand mixer or stand mixer until fluffy. Then, add the peanut butter and cream cheese and continue to mix. Next, add the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Finally, add the vanilla and salt. Turn off your mixer. Dollop the fig jam on the cookie dough and then use a silicone spatula to carefully swirl the jam slightly into the dough (don’t stir it all in).

~Lay out a piece of plastic wrap. And carefully turn the dough onto the plastic wrap. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and place the dough into the fridge. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours (I refrigerate mine 4 hours or overnight).

~Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

~Use a cookie scoop to scoop your cookie dough and space it evenly on the parchment (I like to bake 8 cookies per cookie sheet). Bake the cookies for 10-13 minutes, until golden brown and the bottom of the cookies look deep golden brown (I slightly lift one with a spatula to check).

~Let the cookies set on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. The cookies will still maintain a fluffy, soft texture after cooling and are quite delicate. Enjoy!