I admit I made these cookies because the name kind of delights me. I don’t even know where I heard of them. From what I understand they are a British child’s delight and are readily available at your local grocer, provided you live in the UK. I thought they looked an awful lot like Linzer cookies (a longtime favorite) but the recipe for the cookie is a bit simpler.
I think the main difference is the use of powdered (or confectioner’s) sugar instead of granulated sugar which makes the cookie a bit more delicate in the Jammy Dodgers. Other than a few slight variations in the recipe, the cookie assembles and looks pretty much the same. Two cookies, jam in the middle with a pretty peek of it from the top cookie.
Instead of the traditional heart shape for both the Jammy Dodger and the Linzer cookie I went with a floral motif for the cutout. I’m celebrating all things Spring and what better way than with a cookie?
Save those little floral cutouts! They make lovely teeny cookies on their own. Plus they are so teeny they don’t count, calorie-wise, when you eat them. It’s like celery – it takes more energy to eat them than are in the cookie themself*.
*Not scientifically proven. Yet.
Another bonus to these cookies is that they come together FAST. I got the notion to make these two hours before we were set to leave for a dinner date and managed to make a batch which included blog photo taking breaks and chilling time for the dough. The recipes makes a dozen 2 1/2″ cookies (consisting of two cookies sandwiched together) with a bunch of little flower cut outs as extras.
If you want to be extra fancy you could make your own jam filling but I just used pre-made.
I was going to say this would be the perfect tea party cookie but honestly it’s the perfect “I need to renew my car registration” cookie. Or the “It’s 11:00am and I’m surviving the day” cookie. For a tough day you may want to double the recipe.
I have no idea how they store because they never last that long around here.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 340 degrees F.
- Add the butter and sugar to a stand mixer or mixing bowl. Cream until light and fluffy.
- Add the flour and mix until the dough resembles course meal.
- Add egg yolk and mix until the dough comes together.
- Place dough in cling film and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out to 1/3 inch thick.
- Using a 21/2 inch fluted cookie cutter cut out the cookies. Using a smaller cutter, cut out the centers of half of the cookies.
- Place them on a parchment covered baking sheet.
- Bake 12-13 minutes until they start to turn golden brown on the bottom.
- Allow to cool completely.
- Once cooled, take a cookie without a cut-out and spread a scant teaspoon of jam.
- Top with a cut-out cookie.
- Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar
