These sandwich cookies are buttery, crumbly, and melt-in-your-mouth. Customize the filling however you like—spread on one cookie and sandwich away!
* Recipe updated in 2021 with new photos
These jam-filled sandwich cookies are simple and irresistible.
Yes, I’ve made that joke before. No, I won’t stop. These little cookies are one of my favorite homemade treats.
Two tender, crumbly cookies sandwich a generous dollop of jam—pure perfection. While this version uses apricot jam, you can substitute your favorite jam or experiment with other fillings.
How to make sandwich cookies with apricot jam filling:
Start by creaming the butter and sugar together until there are no dry sugar granules left. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and whisk to combine. The mixture may look slightly lumpy or separated—that’s normal.
Stir in the flour, cornstarch, and salt until the dough forms large clumps and holds together when squeezed. It should be soft and slightly tacky.
Shape the dough into a disk and chill. Transfer the dough to plastic wrap, press into a disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for about 1 hour. For a quicker chill, freeze for 30 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, unwrap and knead the chilled dough briefly so it softens. Roll it to about 1/4 inch thickness, then cut with a 2-inch round cutter. Use a smaller cutter (about 3/4 inch) to cut center holes in half of the cookies for the tops.
Bake on parchment-lined sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. It’s helpful to bake cookies with center cutouts on one sheet and whole cookies on another, as the cutouts often brown a bit faster.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven. Cookies with the center cutout usually finish around 10 minutes; whole cookies take about 12 minutes. Remove when the bottoms and edges are just barely golden.
Cool completely before assembling. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully. Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam on a whole cookie and top with a cutout cookie. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Sandwich cookie filling
These cookies pair well with any jam—apricot, strawberry, raspberry, or blackberry are all excellent. You can also try non-fruit fillings: hazelnut spread, chocolate buttercream, chocolate ganache, caramel, or vanilla buttercream all work beautifully. Experiment to find your favorite combination.
How to store sandwich cookies
These cookies store well at nearly every stage: as dough, shaped dough, baked cookies, or finished sandwiches. Storage time depends on the stage and method. Below are some easy guidelines to keep them fresh.
Storing at room temperature
Place baked cookies (filled or plain) in an airtight container. Plain baked cookies stay fresh up to 5 days; sandwiched cookies last about 3 days at room temperature. Raw dough should always be kept refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.
Storing in the fridge
Shaped or unshaped raw dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days when wrapped tightly. Baked cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week, though room temperature storage generally preserves texture better.
How to freeze sandwich cookies
Freezing is a great option. You can freeze the whole disk of dough, wrap it tightly in plastic and foil or a freezer bag, and keep it up to 3 months. Alternatively, roll and cut the cookies, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid (about 1 hour), then transfer to a freezer bag.
Related cookie recipes
• Shortbread Cookies
• Chocolate Chip Cookies (without eggs)
• No-Bake Chocolate Cornflakes Cookies
• Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Jam Filled Sandwich Cookies
5 Stars 4 Stars
4.2 from 6 reviews
- Author: Mimi
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies (approx.)
Description
Buttery, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth sandwich cookies. Customize the filling to suit your taste—jam, ganache, or frosting all work well.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for rolling
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup apricot jam (or favorite jam)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar until smooth and the sugar is dissolved. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until the dough forms clumps and holds together when squeezed. Transfer to plastic wrap, press into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour (or freeze 30 minutes). Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- On a lightly floured surface, unwrap and knead the dough briefly. Roll to ¼ inch thick, cut with a 2-inch round cutter, and use a smaller cutter to cut centers from half the cookies.
- Arrange cookies about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Bake 10–12 minutes at 350°F, removing cutout cookies closer to 10 minutes if they brown faster.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread about 1 teaspoon jam on each whole cookie and top with a cutout cookie. Press lightly to spread the jam to the edges.
- Optional: dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Equipment
Mixing bowls, rolling pin, 2-inch and ¾-inch cookie cutters, baking sheets, parchment paper, wire rack.
Notes
* Choose any jam or filling you prefer. Apricot is my favorite, but strawberry, raspberry, or chocolate spreads are all great alternatives.
** Baking tip: bake cutout-top cookies separately if possible—the cutouts tend to finish sooner (around 10 minutes).
Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container. Plain cookies keep up to 5 days at room temperature; sandwiched cookies up to 3 days. In the fridge, plain cookies last about one week and filled cookies up to 5 days.
Freezing: Wrap whole dough tightly or freeze cut cookies on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Dough keeps up to 3 months.
Defrosting: Thaw whole dough in the fridge a few hours or overnight, then roll and bake. For shaped cookies, thaw in the fridge or at room temperature until just soft enough to bake.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Enjoy!