Occupying the space between a classic thumbprint cookie and a peanut butter blossom, these peanut butter and jelly thumbprint cookies are a light, just-sweet-enough treat. A speedy cookie dough is enhanced with natural peanut butter, dotted with jam, and baked until just set for a nutty, crumbly treat with a gooey, fruity center.

Traditional thumbprint cookies are essentially the American version of Swedish hallongrotta (“raspberry cave” in Swedish), a shortbread cookie with an indentation filled with raspberry jam. According to Nichole Accettola, author of Scandinavian From Scratch, these cookies date back to the 19th century, when they were served at coffee parties known as kafferep. These parties—at which seven different types of cookies, including “caves,” were served—popped up after Sweden lifted its nationwide ban in the 1820s. This tradition, known as “sju sorters kakor,” was so important it inspired a dedicated cookbook of the same name published in 1945. 

Somewhere along the way, thumbprint cookies became popular in American households, with many cooks putting their own spins on the cookie. It isn’t uncommon for people to incorporate oatmeal or different nut flours into the dough or opt for non-fruity fillings, such as dulce de leche and chocolate-hazelnut spreads like Nutella. One variation of the classic thumbprint, the peanut butter blossom, features peanut butter cookies rolled in sugar, baked, and then stamped with Hershey’s Kisses before they cool. The nutty cookie recipe was first published in 1957 when a woman named Freda Smith entered it into the Pillsbury Bake-Off contest. The cookie was originally called a “Black-Eyed Susan,” and though Smith’s recipe did not win the grand prize, it has become so beloved nationally that it is now printed on the back of Hershey’s Kiss bags, and the cookie has been inducted into the Pillsbury Bake-Off Hall of Fame.   

Skip the Spread and Go Au Naturel

For the most control over the seasoning and fat content of the dough, opt for natural, unhomogenized, and unsweetened creamy peanut butter. Different brands of sweetened peanut butter have varying amounts of added sugar and oils that affect the fat and sugar percentage of the dough. Look for a peanut butter with a short ingredient list: peanuts. If you can only find salted nut butter, that’s just fine—the amount included won’t make the cookies overly salty, and you don’t need to decrease the salt in the dough.

Grab Your Favorite Jam

Jam, which is made by slowly cooking fruit, sugar, and pectin until the fruit is broken down, is the best option for filling these cookies as it’s typically loose enough to spoon and spread into the small thumbprint cookie indents. (Jellies, which are made from strained fruit juice, can be too gelatinous to spoon, while preserves, which contain whole or chunks of fruit suspended in syrup, may be too chunky.) I personally prefer seedless raspberry or strawberry jam in these cookies, but grape jam is great too. Other fruit jams, especially those with citrus zest or warm spices, will work delightfully in these cookies, too.

For Uniform Cookies, Scoop Dough With a Disher

To make these cookies all the same size in the least amount of time, portion out the dough with a disher, also known as a cookie scoop. A #40 cookie scoop will measure approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough. If you don’t have one, use your kitchen scale to weigh out 28 gram portions of dough. If you have neither, not to worry: You can eyeball it, but just keep in mind your cookies won’t be as uniform as those portioned with a scoop or scale. From there, roll the dough with your hands into a ball, then use a round half-teaspoon measuring spoon to indent the center of the cookies for the jam. To ensure the rolled-out cookies hold their shape while baking, chill the portioned dough in the freezer for 10 minutes. Richly nutty with sweet, tangy jam, the cookies are a bite-size version of a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich. In other words: a delicious blast from the past.

July 2025

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My Kindergartener Can Make This Recipe – And I Actually, Genuinely Love It

It’s a parenting first!

I love the idea of matching your kid’s age to a number of goal recipes – for example, when you’re 5 years old – you learn how to make 5 recipes. (I got this idea from Nita and Jess at Healthy Happy Eaters – they are wonderful.)

My daughter’s favorite dinner is spaghetti, so I thought making it in the Instant Pot might help it feel more manageable:

• it’s one single pot.
• no cutting board required.
• it has higher sides so there’s less splattering.
• no draining of boiling water.

We started making it this way “to help her” but quickly realized… Instant Pot spaghetti is actually kinda special. It’s silky, flavorful, and extra clingy. Makes for an ideal combo with house favorite garlic bread and air fryer broccoli.

These days, when my family requests spaghetti for dinner (made by me, or my daughter), THIS is the spaghetti they are asking for. Some people might be offended by the breaking of the noodles, which you have to do to get them to fit – but in our house we roll with it and the shorter noodles work great for kids.

The ratios are just how I like them: meaty, saucy, so comforting. A home run hit with my kids and my husband every time.

(But I’d make this for myself even if I didn’t have kids!)

Hope you love it! If you love easy dinner recipes – check out this mega page of all my favorites!

Pizza Beans – if you love pizza, you are going to love this recipe! It is just like hitting the easy button. It tastes like pizza, is made with 7 simple ingredients in one pot, in about 15 minutes. Oh and kids (and picky adults) will love it. Whether you are looking for a simple dinner recipe or an easy afterschool snack, these cheesy marinara beans are the perfect solution.

If you are looking for more simple bean recipes, you should try my 3 Ingredient Black Bean Dip or Greek White Bean Salad next!

This site is all about helping you create simple, nourishing recipes in 20 minutes using 8 ingredients (or less). If you want to cook more at home but you’re short on time and overwhelmed by long lists of ingredients, you are in the right place! As a health and nutrition coach, I love helping you cook nourishing meals at home. If you are visiting Bites of Wellness for the first time, welcome! Find out more about me and the website.

What are pizza beans?

In case you are wondering, what the heck are pizza beans, essentially they are white beans with marinara and cheese that are eaten on crusty bread or crackers – everything you love about pizza, but with beans!

Ingredients

• Veggies (I used green bell pepper and red onion, as these are my favorite toppings for pizza) – Use whatever you love for pizza here
• Marinara – use your favorite sauce
• Cheese – I used vegan parmesan cheese. You could use regular parmesan or your favorite mozzarella cheese.
• Fresh basil – adds a fresh pop of flavor, you could also use fresh parsley or simply skip this.
• Bread or crackers – use your favorite crunchy bread or crackers for creating that pizza experience at home .

How to make pizza beans

Chop and cook the veggies: Add veggies to preheated skillet (over medium low heat) and cook 4-5 minutes until soft.

Make the pizza beans: Add marinara, spices and beans to the pan. Cook 5-6 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce and get the beans well flavored.  After 5-6 minutes stir in half the parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Add toppings and serve: Take off the heat and add the rest of the cheese and fresh basil. Serve on toasted crusty bread or your favorite flatbread crackers (or homemade crackers).

Top tips

• Rinse and drain the white beans well before adding to the sauce. Tip: I like to soak them in clean water for a few minutes, I find this really helps them become easier to digest.
• Use organic beans if possible, I find they are easier on your digestion.
• Be sure to use a marinara sauce that you love, it really is most of the flavor in this dish.
• Use whatever white beans you have on hand, I used great northern white beans, but you could also use cannellini beans or gigante beans or butter beans (fava beans).

Other additions

• Pepperoni, cooked sausage, etc – after stirring in the cheese on the stove, top with pepperoni and more parmesan and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes. Top with the rest of the fresh basil and serve.
• Mushrooms , zucchini, red or yellow bell peppers – add these to cook with the green bell peppers and red onion. You may need to add 1-2 minutes of cooking time depending on how many veggies you add.
• Olives, banana peppers, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts – these can be added with the white beans
• Mozzarella cheese – if you prefer a true pizza experience, top the entire (oven safe) dish with mozzarella cheese and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.
• Crushed red pepper flakes for some spice (add this with the salt and garlic powder).

What to serve with this pizza beans recipe

I like to serve the cheesy marinara beans with a simple salad, Greek Salad or a light soup (like this frozen veggie soup).

You can also serve these with air fryer roasted zucchini or sundried tomato broccoli.

Substitutions

If you can’t find a parmesan cheese you love, you can use your favorite mozzarella (regular or dairy free) or replace the parmesan cheese with cashew cream

• To make cashew cream: Soak 1/2 cup cashews in boiling water for 5 minutes, Drain the water. Add cashews and 1/2 cup water to a high speed blender along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth. Pour this mixture in with the beans to create a thick, creamy sauce that will have the same flavors as adding cheese.

What to do with leftovers?

Keep the beans separate from any bread or crackers until you are ready to enjoy. Store the beans in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stove or in the oven until bubbly.

I love serving the leftovers on crusty bread with a fried egg on top the next morning for breakfast.

This easy fruit salad recipe is a perfect summer side dish! Kids and adults love this one—it’s made with colorful fruit and a bright honey-lime dressing.

This classic fruit salad recipe has become one of our go-to summer side dishes. It’s fresh, it’s colorful, and—best of all—it’s kid-friendly. Our kiddo has always loved fresh fruit, so when I want to bring a dish to a gathering that I know he’ll go for, fruit salad wins every time.

I call for a vibrant blend of pineapple, mandarin oranges, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, and kiwi in this recipe, but I want to say up front that this fruit salad is super flexible. I’m sharing some of my go-to subs and swaps below, but honestly, almost any fruit tastes delicious with this salad’s simple honey-lime dressing. Feel free to toss in your seasonal favorites!

Fruit Salad Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Fresh pineapple – I call for 1 medium pineapple in this recipe, but if you don’t feel like breaking down a whole one, pre-cut pineapple will work here too. You’ll need about 5 cups chopped, though this recipe is flexible, so no need to be 100% exact.
• Kiwi – For tangy flavor and a fun pop of green.
• Grapes – Any kind you like! I love their bursty, juicy texture in this recipe.
• Strawberries and blueberries – If you ask me, berries are the best part of any fruit salad. I especially love the blueberries here because you can toss them in whole—no chopping required!
• Mandarin oranges – For sweet, juicy, citrusy flavor. You’ll use mandarin juice in the fruit salad dressing too!

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Fruit Salad

This fruit salad recipe is super easy to make—most of the work is chopping the fruit. Try to cut each type into similar-sized pieces so that you can get a variety of fruits in each bite!

• Tip: The pineapple will take the longest to chop. For a shortcut, use pre-cut pineapple.

Combine the fruit in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the dressing in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, and then pour it over the fruit.

Mix to combine…and that’s it!

Recipe Tips and Variations

Fresh fruit is best. I don’t recommend substituting thawed frozen fruit or canned fruit for the fresh fruits in this recipe. Fresh fruit will have the best texture (read: not mushy!) and balanced flavor.

Make it your own. The best fruit for a fruit salad is whatever’s in season! Here are a few subs and swaps that are great in this recipe:

• Instead of mandarins… Use 1 peeled and diced mango, 2 chopped peaches, or nectarines.
• Instead of strawberries… Use blackberries or raspberries. These berries are delicate, so I would fold them into the salad at the very end, after you add the dressing.
• Instead of blueberries or grapes… Use halved pitted cherries or chopped plums.
• Instead of pineapple… Use chopped cantaloupe or honeydew melon, mango, peaches, or nectarines.
• Instead of kiwi… Use mango or green grapes.

Fruits to avoid: Apples, pears, and bananas all oxidize (aka turn brown) after they’re cut. Unless you’re serving this fruit salad right away, I’d skip them!

Enjoy with other classic sides like pasta salad, potato salad, and broccoli salad at your next summer picnic!

Easy Fruit Salad

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Serves 12

Made with a bright honey-lime dressing and colorful fresh fruit, this easy fruit salad recipe is a perfect summer side dish! It’s super flexible—feel free to toss in your favorite in-season fruit. Find some of my favorite variations in the blog post above.

• 1 medium pineapple, peeled, cored, and chopped into ½-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
• 1 pound strawberries, hulled and chopped
• 3 kiwis, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced
• 2 cups seedless grapes, halved
• 1 pint blueberries
• 3 mandarin oranges, peeled and segmented, or 1 peeled and diced mango or 2 chopped peaches

Dressing

• Juice of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 mandarin orange
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

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• In a large bowl, mix together the pineapple, strawberries, kiwi, grapes, blueberries, and mandarins.

• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, mandarin juice, and honey.

• Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss to coat. Serve immediately or cover and chill until ready to serve.

• Fruit salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.