Make these simple, healthier option, peanut butter and jam oatmeal thumbprint cookies with only six ingredients for the holidays.

Fill the centre of these chewy, crispy exterior thumbprint cookies with your favourite jam, such as raspberry, strawberry, mint, blueberry, or marmalade, and top with a sprinkle of sea salt.

During the Christmas holidays, there will be desserts everywhere you turn, with lots of temptation.

If you’re someone who wants to enjoy Christmas treats while maintaining a balanced diet, opt for desserts with simple ingredients.

My recipe makes 12 cookies, but you can double it if you need more for a gathering or to give away in holiday cookie trays.

Best Peanut Butter and Oats To Use

When it comes to peanut butter and oats, we can be picky because we enjoy healthier options.

Jam and jelly options are endless, and you get control over whether you use added sugar or sugar-free jam.

We always have some homemade jam in our pantry, so we opted for raspberry, along with store-bought mint jelly.

You can switch up the recipe using various jams, peanut butter, and oats, but you can’t skip the powdered peanut butter.

Having powdered peanut butter in your pantry ensures a shelf-stable product with fewer added fats, sugars, and ingredients.

For this thumbprint cookie recipe, I opted to use PB and Me dark roast powder and natural peanut butter, which is derived from only peanuts.

Think less fat, sugar, calories, and the ability to eat more than one without any guilt.

When it comes to buying unrefined sugar for baking, we opt for raw organic honey, maple syrup, sugar-free sweetener alternatives such as erythritol, and monk fruit.

However, if you want to use granulated sugar, that works too.

Lastly, we use large flake organic oats, as the cookie tends to be chewier rather than mushy.

Making The Indent In Thumbprint Cookies

Some people like to make the thumbprint as soon as the cookies are done and hot out of the oven.

I do both ways, by making the thumbprint before baking the cookies, so it’s done and set into the cookie while it bakes.

When it comes out of the oven (see photo above), the centre often puffs out, so I use the back of the wooden spoon to tap it back down.

Both ways work fine, and generally, I use the back of a wooden spoon or a gentle press in the middle of the cookie with my thumb.

How To Make Peanut Butter and Jam Oatmeal Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup organic large flake oats 2 tbsp raw organic honey 3 tbsp natural peanut butter 3 tbsp powdered peanut butter + 1 tbsp water 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp pure vanilla extract sea salt for tops (optional)

Instructions

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, add the powdered peanut butter and water, stir to combine. You don’t want the peanut butter to be thick, so add a bit more water if needed. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and gently mix to combine. Using a small 2tsp-sized scoop, scoop out 12 scoops of the cookie batter and set them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Using the back of a wooden spoon or your thumb, make an indent in the middle of each ball of cookie batter. Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes, or until they are just beginning to turn golden brown. When they come out of the oven, give the centres one more press using the back of a wooden spoon to press them in. Let the cookies cool completely for 10 minutes. Fill the centre of each cookie with your favourite jam or jelly. Optionally, you can make a thin icing and drizzle it a few times across each thumbprint to make them luxurious for Christmas or cookie boxes. Top with a bit of sea salt (optional, as there is salt in the cookie)

Notes

Yes, you can double the recipe.

Freeze for up to 4 months.

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