Jammie Dodgers are a British sandwich biscuit — two rounds of buttery shortbread with a jam-filled cutout on top. This homemade version makes 12 biscuits from ingredients most bakers already have on hand, and the result is noticeably better than the packaged kind: crispier, less sweet, and actually tastes like butter.
Before you start
Two things determine whether these biscuits hold their shape or spread into blobs. First, the 30-minute chill is not optional — warm shortbread dough spreads in the oven and the cutout windows close up. If your kitchen runs warm, chill the cut-out rounds on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before they go in. Second, don’t overwork the dough when you add the flour. Mix just until it comes together; extra mixing develops gluten and turns a tender biscuit tough. A few dry streaks that press out when you roll are fine.
About the ingredients
- Butter: Unsalted is called for so you control the salt level. Salted butter works fine — just know the biscuits will have a slightly more pronounced savory edge, which isn’t a bad thing in shortbread.
- Jam: Raspberry is traditional, but use whatever is open in your fridge. Strawberry, apricot, and cherry all work. Avoid very runny jams — if yours is loose, simmer it in a small saucepan for a few minutes to thicken it before filling, or it will seep out the sides.
- Flour: All-purpose is correct here. Cake flour makes the biscuit too fragile to handle; bread flour makes it tough. No need to buy anything special.
- Vanilla extract: A half teaspoon goes into the whole batch. Imitation vanilla is fine at this quantity — skip the upgrade, it won’t be noticeable.
Common problems and fixes
- Biscuits puff and lose their sharp edges: The dough was too warm when it went in. Next time, refrigerate the shaped biscuits on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking.
- Jam bubbles out during baking: You spread jam before baking. Jam goes on after the biscuits are fully cooled — it is an assembly step, not a baking step.
- Top biscuit slides off the sandwich: The jam layer is too thick. One level teaspoon per biscuit is enough; more than that and the sandwich won’t stay put. Skip dusting with powdered sugar too — it dissolves into the jam within an hour and just makes a sticky mess, not worth the extra dish.
- Dough cracks when rolling: It was chilled too long and is too cold. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, then try again. Shortbread dough is forgiving once it warms slightly.
- Biscuits are soft after cooling: They were underbaked. Pull them when the edges are just turning golden — the centers will look slightly underdone but firm up as they cool. If they’re still soft after 20 minutes on the rack, return them to a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
Gourmet Jammie Dodgers
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Rolling pin
- Biscuit cutter set
- Baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
For the Shortbread:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract pure vanilla extract preferred
For the Filling:
- 0.5 cup raspberry jam good quality
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and mix until well incorporated.
- Gradually add the sifted all-purpose flour, mixing gently until a dough forms. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, allowing it to firm up.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Using a round biscuit cutter, cut out dough circles and place half of them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Use a smaller cutter to cut out shapes from the centers of the remaining circles to create the top biscuit layer.
- Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until they are just starting to turn golden.
- Transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
- Once cooled, spread about a teaspoon of raspberry jam on the bottom of each whole biscuit. Place a cut-out biscuit on top, pressing gently to form a sandwich.
Notes
- For a twist, try using strawberry or apricot jam instead.
- If you prefer a vegan option, replace butter with a plant-based spread.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes — the dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, tightly wrapped. You can also freeze it for up to a month; thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling.
I don’t have a small heart or round cutter for the cutout. What can I use?
Anything with a clean edge works — a bottle cap, the wide end of a piping tip, or even a sharp-edged bottle cork. The cutout just needs to be noticeably smaller than your main cutter so the top biscuit has enough border to hold together.
How do I store finished Jammie Dodgers and how long do they last?
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. After that the jam softens the biscuit noticeably — they’re still edible but lose their snap.
Can I freeze the assembled biscuits?
It’s better to freeze the plain baked biscuits unfilled, then add jam after thawing. Jam changes texture when frozen and thawed, and can make the shortbread soggy.
My dough is crumbly and won’t come together — what went wrong?
The butter was probably too cold when you started creaming. The fix is to press the crumbs together firmly with your hands — the warmth helps it bind. If it still won’t hold, add half a teaspoon of cold water and press again.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, it doubles cleanly. Bake in two batches on separate sheets rather than crowding one pan, since airflow around the biscuits affects how evenly they brown.
What to bake next
- Dark Chocolate Orange Shortbread
- Lemon Thyme Shortbread Bars
- Maple Cream Sandwich Cookies
- Raspberry White Chocolate Scones