Blueberry Jam Sandwich Cookies

From the kitchen of Carly

Butter cookies sandwiched with homemade blueberry jam spiked with bright lemon zest. These tender, buttery rounds have that perfect snap before melting on your tongue, with tart-sweet jam pooling in the center.

Blueberry Jam Sandwich Cookies

Shortbread that sings. The lemon-butter dough is sturdy enough to slice thin and holds a jammy center without sogging out, while the raw sugar crust catches light and crunch. Make the blueberry jam up to a week ahead, dough the day before, then you're just slicing and baking when guests arrive. Elegant enough for afternoon tea, easy enough for a Tuesday.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 2 cupfresh blueberries
  • 2 tbsppowdered fruit pectin
  • 1/2 tspunsalted butter
  • 1 cupsugar
  • 1 cupunsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cupsugar
  • 3 tbspfinely grated lemon peel
  • 1/4 tspsalt
  • 2 largeegg yolks
  • 2 1/4 cupall purpose flour
  • 1Raw sugar*

Instructions

  1. Combine the blueberries, fruit pectin, and butter in a large nonstick skillet. Stir constantly over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil, then pour in the sugar and return to a boil, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Keep it at a rolling boil until reduced to 1 1/3 cups, about 5 minutes, then pull the pan off the heat. Pour the jam into a small glass bowl, cover it, and refrigerate until completely cold and slightly thickened, at least 6 hours.

  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, 1 cup sugar, lemon peel, and salt until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Drop in the yolks and beat until incorporated. Add the flour in 2 additions, beating just until the dough comes together after each one. Gather the dough and split it in half. Lay one half on a sheet of waxed paper or parchment, shape it into a 1 1/2-inch-wide square or round log, and smooth the surface with dampened fingers. Wrap it up and repeat with the second half. Refrigerate both logs until firm, at least 4 hours.

  3. Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with silicone baking mats, smooth side up, or parchment paper. Slice the dough logs into scant 1/4-inch-thick rounds or squares and arrange them on the prepared sheets, spaced 2 inches apart. Sprinkle half of the cookies generously with raw sugar, leaving the other half plain.

  4. Bake one sheet at a time until the edges turn light golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a rack and let them cool completely before moving on.

  5. Spread 1 generous teaspoon of jam over the flat bottom of each plain cookie. Set a sugared cookie on top, sugared side facing up, and serve.

  6. Raw sugar refers to turbinado or demerara sugar, available at most supermarkets and natural foods stores.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Chill the dough logs solid (overnight is fine) so they slice clean and uniform without cracking or dragging. Warm dough tears and won't give you those neat edges.
  • Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on the sheet, not closer. They spread slightly and need air flow to bake evenly and crisp up.
  • Slice on the bias or at a slight angle if you want the cookies to look a little less square and more like something from a fancy bakery.

Variations

  • Raspberry or strawberry jam: Swap the blueberries 1 to 1, reduce cooking time slightly since berries vary in liquid content, and taste as you go.
  • Brown butter shortbread: Brown your butter before creaming with sugar, add a pinch of cardamom to the dough, and skip the lemon or use half the amount.
  • Thumbprint version: Instead of sandwich cookies, divide dough into small balls, press into muffin tins to form shallow cups, bake 8 minutes, then spoon jam on top and bake another 4 minutes.

Make ahead and storage

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months if you want a head start on entertaining.