This Jam Sandwich Cookies recipe yields vanilla and matcha shortbread cookies filled with homemade cranberry mandarin jam. They can also be made all vanilla and filled with any jam you like, homemade or store bought. I fashioned mine into a Christmas cookie quilt.
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These cookies were inspired by Kitchen by Katie on Instagram, who made a cookie quilt for Valentine’s Day. I love the way she tiled the cookies together and thought it would be a great idea for Christmas shortbread cookies too. My go-to jam for a cookie like this would be a raspberry jam, but I wanted to give a nod to December produce. So I went with cranberry and added mandarin for a sweet citrus note. I included matcha to play on red and green for Christmastime, and it just so happened that the cranberry jam and matcha cookie pairing ended up being my favorite.
I love making tender shortbread-type cookies, especially around the holidays. My favorite are my Eggnog Alfajores, with my Gluten-Free Mexican Wedding Cookies and holiday checkerboard cookies close behind. They go so perfectly in a cookie tin as gifts or on a platter for a holiday party. If serving at a party, you can arrange these in the cookie quilt style or stack them randomly for a traditional look.
I used a mini star cookie cutter to punch out some of the middles. I wanted to punch out mini christmas trees too, but I didn't have a small christmas tree cutter, so I used a small triangle and then cut out the trunk part with a paring knife. If you don't have small cutters you can use a straw to punch a tiny circle or forego the cutout entirely.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- These jam sandwich cookies keep their shape in the oven.
- These are customizable. You can swap the jam for store bought or another homemade flavor. You can remove the matcha and replace it with another flavor or food coloring.
- This cookie recipe is a great idea for a Christmas cookie tin.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour gives structure to the cookies.
- The cookies are sweetened with powdered sugar, which keeps them tender.
- The jam is sweetened with granulated sugar.
- Vanilla bean paste and matcha flavor the cookies.
- Egg binds the cookie dough.
- Unsalted butter provides flavor and moisture.
- Kosher salt balances the overall flavor profile.
- Light corn syrup gives the optional glaze a sheen.
- Lemon juice brings moisture and tang to the glaze.
- Mandarin oranges bring flavor and moisture to the jam.
- Cranberries flavor the jam.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and variations
Here’s how to customize these jam filled cookies to your liking:
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- No matcha — omit the matcha completely or use another flavoring, like almond extract or freeze-dried fruit powder.
- Food coloring — you can also include food coloring instead of matcha, or in addition to the vanilla dough.
- Different shape — use any cookie cutter shape you have on hand.
- Dairy free — use dairy-free butter instead of dairy butter.
- Another jam — make another fruit jam or use any store-bought jam you like. Raspberry jam would be great in these. Bonne Maman raspberry is my favorite store-bought jam.
- Gluten free — swap the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour mix.
- No light corn syrup — swap for honey or omit completely. It is really just included to add a nice sheen to the glaze, but it is not necessary for the flavor.
This recipe has not been tested with any substitutions or variations. If you try any, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
How to make jam sandwich cookies
Step 1: Combine the unsalted butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together until combined and lightened in color. Add the egg, salt and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add in ⅓ of the flour at a time, mixing in between, just until combined. Remove ⅔ of the dough from the bowl of the stand mixer. To the remaining ⅓ of the dough add the matcha powder (or food coloring) and mix until completely combined. I like to do this by hand with gloves on. Wrap and chill each of the doughs in cling wrap for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Step 2: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and the mandarin zest. Rub together to express the oils from the zest. Add the rest of the jam ingredients (cranberries, pinch of salt and the juice of the mandarins) and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Mash the berries as much or as little as you’d like. Remove to a bowl to cool completely.
Step 3: Roll out each dough to ⅝-inch thick on a floured surface. Punch out the cookies using the cookie cutter of your choice. I used a square cookie cutter and cut out a small christmas tree and star in some of the centers. Place the cookies 1-inch apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. I like to bake similar cookies together, bottoms (without cutouts) on one tray, tops (with cutouts) on another tray and the punched out designs (tiny stars and trees) on another since those will take less time in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the trays in the freezer to freeze solid while the oven preheats (ideally for about 10 minutes). Bake for 9-11 minutes. Keep a close eye as they bake quickly and bake time can vary from oven to oven and shape to shape. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 4: Pipe or spoon a bit of jam on each of the bottoms. Place the tops with cutouts on top. Dust with powdered sugar. Optionally, glaze some of the cookies. Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk, adding more lemon juice or water as needed. I removed some of the glaze to a small bowl and mixed in sifted matcha powder to color it.
Hot tips
- Freeze the unbaked cookies until solid to prevent spreading in the oven.
- You can make the dough ahead of time, wrap it tightly in plastic and store it in an airtight freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use it. It will keep for 3 months.
- Be sure to use high-quality, culinary-grade matcha for the best flavor and color.
Recipe FAQs
This is not recommended as the recipe has not been tested without the egg.
The cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. You can also make the dough ahead of time, wrap it tightly in plastic and store it in an airtight freezer bag and freeze until you are ready to use it. It will keep for 3 months.
Yes, use any flavor of store-bought jam instead of the homemade jam. Raspberry jam would be really nice in these. You can also use a spread, like Nutella or Biscoff.
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Lastly, if you make this Jam Sandwich Cookies recipe be sure to leave a comment or give it a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Jam Sandwich Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature (226g)
- ¾ cup powdered sugar (150g)
- 1 egg large
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour sifted (420g)
- 1 ½ tablespoon matcha powder
Cranberry mandarin jam
- 2 mandarin oranges zested and juiced
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133g)
- 12 oz cranberries fresh or frozen
- Pinch of kosher salt
Glaze (optional)
- 2½ cups powdered sugar (478g) sifted
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice plus more as needed
- 3 tablespoon light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract optional
Garnish (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Matcha powder
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Do Ahead
- Get the butter out of the refrigerator the night before or a few hours before you plan to bake to let it come to room temperature.
Start the cookie dough
- Combine the unsalted butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together until combined and lightened in color.
- Add the egg, salt and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- Add in ⅓ of the flour at a time, mixing in between, just until combined.
Color the dough (optional)
- Remove ⅔ of the dough from the bowl of the stand mixer. To the remaining ⅓ of the dough add the matcha powder (or food coloring) and mix until completely combined. I like to do this by hand with gloves on.
- Wrap and chill each of the doughs in cling wrap for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Make the cranberry jam
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and the mandarin zest. Rub together to express the oils from the zest. Add the rest of the jam ingredients (cranberries, pinch of salt and the juice of the mandarins) and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Mash the berries as much or as little as you’d like.
- Remove to a bowl and cover to cool completely before using.
Cut out the cookies
- Roll out each dough to ⅝-inch thick on a floured surface.
- Punch out the cookies using the cookie cutter of your choice. I used a square cookie cutter and cut out a small christmas tree and star in some of the centers.
- Place the cookies 1-inch apart on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat. I like to bake similar cookies together, bottoms (without cutouts) on one tray, tops (with cutouts) on another tray and the punched out designs (tiny stars and trees) on another since those will take less time in the oven.
Bake the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place the trays in the freezer to freeze solid while the oven preheats (ideally for about 10 minutes).
- Bake for 9-11 minutes. Keep a close eye as they bake quickly and bake time can vary from oven to oven and shape to shape. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Fill and decorate
- Pipe or spoon a bit of jam on each of the bottoms. Place the tops with cutouts on top. Dust with powdered sugar.
- Optionally, glaze some of the cookies. Combine all of the glaze ingredients in a medium bowl with a whisk, adding more lemon juice or water as needed. I removed some of the glaze to a small bowl and mixed in sifted matcha powder to color it. Dip cooled cookies in the glaze, shaking off the excess. Pipe designs on top or leave plain.
