Jam Sandwiches
By America's Test KitchenPublished on March 6, 2013
Time
1¼ hours, plus 20 minutes cooling and 30 minutes setting
Yield
Makes about 30 cookies
Ingredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)¾ cup superfine sugar, (5 ½ ounces/156 grams)¼ teaspoon table salt 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, Demerera, or white decorating sugar1 ¼ cups raspberry jam (12 ounces/340 grams), strained, simmered until reduced to 1 cup, and cooled to room temperature
Before You Begin
If you cannot find superfine sugar, you can obtain a close approximation by processing regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about 20 seconds.
Instructions
- In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.
- Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl for 2 to 3 turns to form large cohesive mass. Turn out dough onto countertop; divide in half, pat into two 4-inch disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20 to 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks; defrost in refrigerator before using.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out 1 dough disk to even 1/8-inch thickness between 2 large sheets parchment paper; slide rolled dough on parchment onto baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with second disk.
- Using 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut rounds from one piece of dough and bake on parchment-lined baking sheet in 375-degree oven until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes (see photo below).
- Sprinkle second piece of rolled dough evenly with sugar (see photo below).
- Using a 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of sugar-sprinkled dough and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Using 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out centers of rounds and bake until light golden brown, about 8 minutes (see photo below).
- When cookies have cooled, spread 1 teaspoon jam on solid cookies, then place cut-out cookies on top. Let filled cookies stand until set, about 30 minutes (see photo below).
Time
1¼ hours, plus 20 minutes cooling and 30 minutes settingYield
Makes about 30 cookiesIngredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)
¾ cup superfine sugar, (5 ½ ounces/156 grams)
¼ teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, Demerera, or white decorating sugar
1 ¼ cups raspberry jam (12 ounces/340 grams), strained, simmered until reduced to 1 cup, and cooled to room temperature
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)
¾ cup superfine sugar, (5 ½ ounces/156 grams)
¼ teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, Demerera, or white decorating sugar
1 ¼ cups raspberry jam (12 ounces/340 grams), strained, simmered until reduced to 1 cup, and cooled to room temperature
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)
¾ cup superfine sugar, (5 ½ ounces/156 grams)
¼ teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, Demerera, or white decorating sugar
1 ¼ cups raspberry jam (12 ounces/340 grams), strained, simmered until reduced to 1 cup, and cooled to room temperature
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
In our search for a holiday cookie recipe that would yield cookies sturdy enough to decorate yet tender enough to eat, we started with the fat and found the right amount of butter to give the cookies great flavor without making them greasy. We used all-purpose flour in our holiday cookie dough recipe because it gave the dough enough gluten to provide structure. Superfine sugar gave our cookies a fine, even crumb. A surprise ingredient—cream cheese—added flavor and richness to our Jam Sandwiches without altering the texture of the cookies.
Before You Begin
If you cannot find superfine sugar, you can obtain a close approximation by processing regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about 20 seconds.
Instructions
- In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.
- Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl for 2 to 3 turns to form large cohesive mass. Turn out dough onto countertop; divide in half, pat into two 4-inch disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until they begin to firm up, 20 to 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 weeks; defrost in refrigerator before using.)
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll out 1 dough disk to even 1/8-inch thickness between 2 large sheets parchment paper; slide rolled dough on parchment onto baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, repeat with second disk.
- Using 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut rounds from one piece of dough and bake on parchment-lined baking sheet in 375-degree oven until light golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes (see photo below).
- Sprinkle second piece of rolled dough evenly with sugar (see photo below).
- Using a 2-inch fluted round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of sugar-sprinkled dough and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Using 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out centers of rounds and bake until light golden brown, about 8 minutes (see photo below).
- When cookies have cooled, spread 1 teaspoon jam on solid cookies, then place cut-out cookies on top. Let filled cookies stand until set, about 30 minutes (see photo below).
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