Jam Jam Cookies

From the kitchen of Carly

Canadian sandwich cookies with a soft, molasses-and-cinnamon shell holding a generous layer of jam in the middle. Old-school grandmother energy. Perfect with strong tea, batches of two dozen, gone in a day. Pull the cookies when they still look puffy and underdone. They firm up as they cool; overbaked is the cookie killer.

Jam Jam Cookies
Prep
20 min
Cook
12 min
Total
35 min
Servings
18
Difficulty
easy

Ingredients

18 servings

  • 1large egg
  • 1 cupunsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cupgranulated sugar
  • 0.5 cupmolasses (fancy or cooking)
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 2 tspbaking soda
  • 3 tbspwarm water (to dissolve baking soda)
  • 2 tspbaking powder
  • 1 tspground cinnamon
  • 1 tspkosher salt
  • 4 cupsall-purpose flour
  • 2 cupsraspberry, strawberry, or apricot jam

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), cream the softened butter, sugar, and egg together for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy.

  3. Add the molasses and vanilla. Mix until smooth and uniform.

  4. Stir the baking soda into the warm water until dissolved. Add to the mixer. Mix for 1 minute to incorporate.

  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

  6. Add the dry mix to the wet in 2 or 3 additions, mixing on low between each, scraping down the bowl as needed. Stop the moment everything is combined; the dough should be soft but easy to shape.

  7. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough. Roll between your palms. Place on the prepared sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies.

  8. Press each ball flat with the bottom of a floured glass or your moistened palm. Aim for 1/3 inch thick discs.

  9. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look puffy but soft. Don't overbake; you want chewy.

  10. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

  11. Once cool, sandwich the cookies: spread 2 teaspoons of jam on the flat side of one cookie, then top with another flat-side-down. Press gently.

  12. Store in an airtight container 4 days at room temperature, or freeze unfilled cookies for 3 months.

Substitutions
  • molasses to treacle, golden syrup, or honey. Treacle is the closest substitute (UK staple). Golden syrup and honey both work but make the cookies sweeter; reduce sugar to 3/4 cup.
  • raspberry jam to Nutella, lemon curd, or salted caramel. Nutella takes it in a chocolate direction. Lemon curd makes them brighter; salted caramel makes them rich. All work.
  • all-purpose flour to 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend. Cookies will be slightly more crumbly. Add 1 tsp xanthan gum if your blend doesn't include it.

Pairs well with: A pot of strong English breakfast tea with milk, Cold milk for the children at the table, A scoop of vanilla ice cream sandwiched in for an upgrade

Adapted from TheMealDB.