Sugar Plum Jam Cookies are spiced shortbread cookies with red jam on top. They are so festive for the holidays or even Valentine's Day!
I first saw these cookies many years ago on Pinterest and made them for a tea party. Unfortunately, the site that posted them is not longer running, so I'm glad I saved screenshots of the recipe!
These cookies are a basic shortbread flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg and some orange zest. You can play with the spices to suit your own preferences.
I made these very small because I like to serve several small desserts at tea parties. They can be made as full size cookies if you prefer that.
I used Sugar Plum Jam from Stonewall Kitchen, but any red jam will work!
Gluten Free Option
Substitute gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour, like Bob's Red Mill, in place of all purpose flour. Note that cookies made with gluten free flour can be more fragile and crumbly than those made with all purpose flour.
📖 Recipe
Sugar Plum Jam Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 1 small (1-inch) cookie cutter
- 1 food grade paint brush
Ingredients
- 2½ cups unbleached all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1½ tablespoons grated orange zest
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks)
For Topping
- ¼ cup Sugar Plum jam (or other red jam)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for sprinkling)
- sparkling white sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, spices, salt, sugar and zest.2½ cups unbleached all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1½ tablespoons grated orange zest
- Using a pastry blender or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs and begins to cling together. The dough will still be very crumbly. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.1 cup salted butter
- Form the dough into a ball then flatten into a disc. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until ½-inch thick. Use small cookie cutters to cut into shapes. Place the cookies onto the baking sheets 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 5 to 10 minutes (depending on size and thickness) until the bottoms start to brown and centers are set.
- Remove baking sheets from the oven and allow cookies to cool on trays for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- After the cookies have reached room temperature, place some of the jam in a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 10-20 seconds until the jam is easier to spread.
- Use a small spoon or a food-grade paint brush to apply the jam on top of each cookie.
- Sprinkle the cookies with sparkling sugar. Store the cookies at room temperature in a single layer of an airtight container.
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