Jammie Dodgers (Linzer Cookies)

A couple of years ago I started watching youtuber Cupcake Jemma’s videos. They are not only informative, but she is hilarious and so entertaining!! Being an American, I enjoy her British slang and accent:)!

I love her recipes! Jemma has introduced me to a lot of new ingredients and techniques. So many of her cupcakes are inspired by cookies and desserts. She uses a lot of ingredients and cookies that can’t be found in our local grocery stores here in Cape May County, but there’s a little gourmet shop in Lewes, Delaware (Lewes Gourmet) that carries a lot of British cookies (or biscuits, as they are known), candy, and Lyle’s golden syrup. This shop was purchased a few years ago by a husband and wife. The husband is British, hence the merchandise. I have purchased my baking vanilla there for many years.

Now, back to the reason I made the Jammie Dodger cookies. Cupcake Jemma made a Jammie Dodger cupcake using the cookie by that name. I found a small bag of these cookies in the Lewes Gourmet. I was excited to try one!

I like to have a hot cup of tea at night before I go to bed, so of course I had to try one with my tea. It was pretty good!

Time passed and the cookies were eaten. Baking the cupcakes seemed to fade away, but my love for the cookie remained:). Imagine how excited I was when food blogger Clare Smith @clarescauldron posted her homemade version of these cookies. They looked amazing and I was sure they tasted even better!

I immediately searched Amazon for a Jammie Dodger cookie cutter, and you guessed it! I found the Jammie Dodger cookie cutter and it came with three other biscuit cutters. I can’t wait to make copycats of those too!!

I made homemade strawberry jam and decided to have a shot at making these. Looking at recipes I realized they are basically a Linzer (shortbread) cookie, so I used my Linzer recipe, and I was so happy with how they turned out. I know a lot of shortbread recipes only have 3 ingredients (butter, confectioners’ sugar and flour), but my recipe uses an egg yolk, almond extract and pure vanilla extract too. These cookies will melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:

3/4 cups unsalted butter (165 grams) room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (80 grams)
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract (optional)
1/2 cup strawberry jam to fill cookie (you can use whatever jam or curd you would like)

Directions:

Place the butter in a mixing bowl with a paddle attachment, and cream for 2 minutes until light and fluffy (scraping bowl and paddle as needed).

Add egg yolk and extracts and mix until combined.

Measure flour and confectioners’ sugar. Sift together and add to butter/yolk mixture (all at once). With mixer on low speed, mix just until dough comes together.

Divide dough in half and form into two flat discs. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats (I use silicone mats, but parchment works also).

While oven is preheating, remove one of the discs of dough from the refrigerator and roll 1/4″ thick. Do this on floured surface, using a floured rolling pin.

Cut out 14 cookie bottoms and bake for 10 minutes. While cookies are baking, roll other dough disc and cut out 14 cookie tops (don’t forget to cut the small heart in the center of the top cookie so you can see the delicious jam peeking through). Bake cookie tops when the bottoms are finished baking.

Cool completely on wire rack.