I well remember these bright little round cookies from my childhood. A shortbread texture with a shining center of color and flavor. They make a delicious holiday cookie and keep well in a tightly closed container for a couple weeks (if you can restrain yourself that long)! You can choose to form them into thumbprint cookies, or roll the dough out and do cutouts for "windowpane" cookies
Jammy Gems - Our Favorite Cookie Recipe
Rated 4.5 stars by 2 users
Category
Dessert
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
12 minutes
We love using our jams in these cookies, although as we make our jams with a lower sugar content than conventional jams a little extra sugar is needed to get a good set for the jammy centers. We add a touch more sugar and bring the jam to a boil prior to filling cookies. To test if your jam is ready, turn off the heat and let it cool slightly. It should form a thin film or skin on the surface as it cools, if it's still rather runny then bring back to a boil to reduce a touch more. If you took it too far and it's very gummy than you can add a touch more jam to achieve the right consistency.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/3 cups
- Optional: 1 cup finely chopped pecans, egg white
- 1/2 cup Jam – Strawberry, Raspberry-Rhubarb, Peach Shine, or Citrus Marmalade work well
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
COOKIE DOUGH:
JAMMY FILLING:
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment and set aside.
Cream together the butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Mix in the eggs yolks, vanilla extract, and salt until fully combined, then mix in the flour. Dough may be slightly crumbly but will come together with mixing.
FOR THUMBPRINT COOKIES:
Roll into 1” balls, then place on the prepared baking sheets.
If desired roll balls in whisked egg white, then roll in finely chopped nuts.
Use your thumb or the handle of a large wooden spoon to press a deep indentation into each ball of cookie dough, dipping utensil in flour between indentations prevents sticking.
FOR CUTOUT WINDOWPANE COOKIES:
- Flatten Dough between two layers of wax paper or plastic wrap and roll out to 1/3" - 1/4" thickness. Place rolled dough onto a baking sheet and chill in fridge or freezer until firm. Cutout 2-3" rounds and use 1" shaped cutter to cutout centers of half the cookies.These will be sandwiched together after baking with jam in the center.
BAKING:
Bake cookies at 350°F for 12-14 minutes or until the cookies are set and the bottoms are lightly browned (Cutouts may take less time depending upon thickness and size). Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
JAM FILLING:
Bring Jam and 2 Tablespoons Sugar to a full boil in a small saucepan—stirring and breaking up any large chunks of fruit with spoon. Set aside to cool while cookies bake.
Jam should form a skin when it begins to cool, it may be rewarmed if too firm to spoon easily, or reduced further if too runny.
Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of warm jam into the center of each thumbprint, or for cutouts, onto the full circles and gently place cutout on top each. Let cookies cool completely before serving so jam is set.
