These Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Quinoa Oat Cookies combine wholesome ingredients with a nostalgic flavor to satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling overly indulgent.
I don’t bake every day, but when I do I prefer recipes that include healthier ingredients. Lately I’ve experimented with quinoa in baked treats—it’s technically a seed and brings a pleasant texture and nutritional boost to sweets. These thumbprint cookies use a blend of oat flour and quinoa flour to create a tender, slightly nutty cookie base that pairs perfectly with peanut butter and raspberry preserves.
A recent snow day gave me the chance to spend hours in the kitchen testing recipes. I cooked soups and chili, and between batches I made these cookies. Thumbprint cookies are a familiar favorite, so I knew my kids would enjoy this flavor profile. To keep the recipe cleaner and simpler, I used organic peanut butter, organic sugars, and organic butter along with organic raspberry preserves. Using oat flour (or oats finely ground) plus quinoa flour keeps the cookies gluten-free if you choose gluten-free oats and gives them a pleasant chew and nutty undertone.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Quinoa Oat Cookies
These cookies are straightforward to make and great for families. The dough benefits from a short chill, which helps the cookies keep their shape and keeps the thumbprint indentation intact for filling. The result is a lightly browned cookie with a soft center and a bright pop of raspberry jam.
Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Servings: 40 cookies
- Calories: 89 kcal per cookie
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten-free oat flour (or oats finely ground in a food processor)
- 1 cup quinoa flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/2 cup organic peanut butter
- 1/4 cup organic butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cooking spray (for hands or baking sheet, if desired)
- 7 tablespoons organic raspberry preserves (or your preferred jam)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, quinoa flour and salt until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat the brown sugar, cane sugar, peanut butter and butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Lightly coat your hands with cooking spray or a touch of oil. Scoop about 2 1/2 teaspoons of dough, roll into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press your thumb gently into the center of each cookie to create an indentation.
- Refrigerate the prepared cookie dough on the baking sheet for 1 hour to firm up; chilling helps the cookies retain their shape during baking.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the chilled cookies for 9–10 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. If the thumbprints have softened while baking, press the centers gently with your finger while the cookies are still warm to deepen the indentation.
- Warm the raspberry preserves slightly to loosen them, then spoon about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon into each thumbprint. Allow the cookies to cool completely so the jam sets.
Notes
This recipe was adapted from a healthy cookie concept. You can substitute other nut butters if desired, and any fruit jam or curd works well for the filling. If you don’t have quinoa flour, you can experiment with additional oat flour, though the texture will be slightly different. For a nut-free version, try sunflower seed butter and check labels for allergy-safe ingredients.
Nutrition Snapshot
- Calories: 89 kcal per cookie
- Fat: 3.4 g (approx. 5% daily value)
These Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Quinoa Oat Cookies are a simple way to enjoy a classic flavor while incorporating whole-grain and seed-based flours. They hold up well for school lunches, snack plates, or a cozy afternoon treat.
