Christmas Jam Sandwich Cookies are tender, buttery holiday cookies with a bright raspberry center, crisp-cut edges, and a cream cheese dough that rolls neatly after chilling and bakes in just 8–10 minutes.
These festive sandwich cookies are a lovely choice when you want something that looks special on a Christmas cookie tray without requiring complicated decorating. The cutout tops let the ruby-red raspberry jam show through, while an optional dusting of confectioners’ sugar gives them that classic snowy holiday finish.
The dough itself is simple but especially pleasant to work with once chilled. Butter creates the rich, delicate base, while a small amount of cream cheese contributes tenderness and helps the dough come together without making the finished cookies heavy.
They are also convenient for holiday baking because much of the work can be done in stages. You can prepare and chill the dough first, bake the cookies when you have time, and wait until they are completely cool before adding the jam and assembling the sandwiches.
Christmas Jam Cookie Ingredients
Unsalted butter: Provides the rich flavor and delicate texture that form the foundation of these holiday cookies. Let it soften before mixing so it incorporates evenly.
All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies enough structure to hold clean shapes while remaining tender after baking.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough without overpowering the raspberry filling.
Cream cheese: A small amount makes the dough more tender and helps create a smooth, cohesive texture once mixed.
Vanilla extract: Adds a warm background flavor that complements both the buttery dough and fruit filling.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the vanilla and butter flavors.
Raspberry jam: Creates the bright, fruity center and the colorful window visible through the upper cookie.
Confectioners’ sugar: An optional finishing touch that gives the assembled cookies a traditional snowy appearance.
Cooking Steps
STEP 1: Add the flour, granulated sugar, and salt to the bowl of an electric mixer and briefly combine them. With the mixer running on low, gradually work in the softened pieces of butter until the mixture becomes crumbly but looks slightly moist.
STEP 2: Add the vanilla and softened cream cheese. Continue mixing only until large clumps begin to form. Avoid prolonged mixing once the dough comes together, since overworking it can make rolled cookies firmer instead of delicate.
STEP 3: Transfer the dough to your work surface and divide it into two portions. Shape each portion into a flat disk, wrap securely, and refrigerate for about 20–30 minutes. The dough should feel firmer and easier to roll but not become rock hard.
STEP 4: Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Working with one chilled disk at a time, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is approximately 1/8 inch thick.
STEP 5: Cut the rolled dough into matching shapes. Leave half of the cookies solid to create the bottoms. Cut a smaller opening from the center of the remaining pieces so the raspberry filling will be visible after assembly. Arrange the cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
STEP 6: Bake for approximately 8–10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through if your oven browns unevenly. Remove the cookies when the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden rather than waiting for the entire surface to brown.
STEP 7: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them carefully to a wire rack. Cool completely. Spread a thin layer of raspberry jam over each solid cookie, add a cutout cookie on top, and press very gently. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.
Why should the cookie dough be chilled?
The short chilling period firms the softened butter enough to make rolling and cutting much easier. It also helps the shaped cookies keep cleaner edges in the oven. About 20–30 minutes is usually sufficient, so you do not need to refrigerate the dough for hours before baking.
Helpful Tips
- Keep the dough lightly floured. Use enough flour to prevent sticking while rolling, but avoid working excessive flour into the dough because it can make the cookies drier.
- Match cookies before filling them. Pair similarly sized tops and bottoms once they have cooled so your finished sandwiches look neat and the edges align naturally.
- Use jam sparingly at first. A thin layer is usually enough. Too much filling can squeeze from the sides when the top cookie is added.
Perfect Pairings
These cookies are naturally suited to a holiday dessert spread, and their bright raspberry flavor pairs particularly well with warm drinks and simple accompaniments.
Hot chocolate: A rich mug of cocoa works nicely with the fruity jam and buttery cookie base.
Coffee or tea: Serve the cookies with freshly brewed coffee, black tea, or a gently spiced holiday tea for an afternoon treat.
Christmas cookie platter: Pair them with contrasting cookies such as gingerbread, shortbread, sugar cookies, or chocolate cookies to add color and variety to a festive tray.
Can I use another jam instead of raspberry?
Yes. Raspberry provides a particularly festive color and pleasantly tart contrast to the buttery cookie, but another thick fruit preserve can work. Strawberry, apricot, cherry, or blackberry are good possibilities. Choose a jam that is thick enough to remain between the cookie layers rather than running out of the sides.
How do I keep the cutout shapes neat?
Work with chilled dough and roll it evenly to approximately 1/8 inch thick. If the dough becomes very soft while you are cutting shapes, refrigerate it briefly before continuing. Transferring delicate cutouts with a thin spatula can also help prevent stretching.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Once filled, keep the sandwich cookies in a tightly covered container. They can generally be stored at cool room temperature for about 2–3 days when made with a standard shelf-stable fruit jam.
For longer storage, refrigerate the assembled cookies in an airtight container for up to about 5–7 days. The jam will gradually soften the cookies as they sit, so cookies served soon after assembly will have the cleanest texture.
There is no need to reheat these cookies. If they have been refrigerated, simply allow them to sit at room temperature briefly before serving so the butter-rich cookie loses its refrigerator chill and the flavor becomes more pronounced.
For make-ahead holiday baking, freezing the baked cookies before filling is usually the most reliable method. Place completely cooled, unfilled cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment between the layers and freeze for up to about 2 months. Thaw them at room temperature before adding jam.
If you plan to use confectioners’ sugar, add it after the cookies have thawed and preferably shortly before serving. Powdered sugar can absorb moisture during storage and lose some of its crisp, snowy appearance.
Can I make these Christmas cookies ahead?
Absolutely. The components are especially convenient for make-ahead baking. Prepare the dough and keep the wrapped disks refrigerated until you are ready to roll them, or bake the cookies ahead and store them unfilled. Assemble with raspberry jam closer to serving for the tidiest appearance and texture.
Why are my sandwich cookies spreading?
Warm dough is one of the most common reasons rolled butter cookies lose definition. Make sure the butter is softened rather than melted, chill the dough as directed, and avoid placing freshly cut cookies on a hot baking sheet. A cool sheet helps the shapes begin baking before the butter becomes excessively soft.
Can I dust the cookies before adding the jam?
For the cleanest finish, you can dust the cutout top cookies with confectioners’ sugar before placing them over the jam-covered bottoms. This keeps the sugar bright and prevents it from disappearing into exposed jam. You can also dust the completed sandwiches lightly just before serving.
Christmas Jam Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese softened to approximately 70°F (room temperature)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
For the Filling and Finish
- 2 cups raspberry jam
- Confectioners’ sugar as needed for an optional dusting
Instructions
- Place the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer. Blend briefly until the dry ingredients are evenly combined.
- With the mixer operating on low speed, incorporate the softened butter gradually, adding one 1/2-inch piece at a time. Continue mixing for approximately 1–2 minutes, until the mixture develops a crumbly appearance with a slightly moist texture.
- Add the vanilla extract and softened cream cheese. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, stopping as soon as the dough begins to gather into large clumps.
- Turn the prepared dough out onto a countertop and divide it into two equal portions. Shape each portion into a disk measuring approximately 4 inches across.
- Securely wrap both disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes, or until the dough has started to firm.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove one chilled dough disk from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough evenly to a thickness of about 1/8 inch.
- Cut the dough into shapes using cookie cutters of your choice. From half of the cutouts, remove a smaller shape from the center; these pieces will form the upper halves of the sandwich cookies.
- Arrange the cut cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving roughly 1 1/2 inches of space between them.
- Repeat the rolling and cutting procedure with the remaining chilled dough disk.
- Bake the shaped cookies at 375°F (190°C) for 8–10 minutes, until their edges become lightly golden.
- Turn the baking sheet around halfway through the baking period to encourage even browning.
- Leave the baked cookies on the baking sheet for 1–2 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before assembling.
- Spread a thin, even coating of raspberry jam over the flat underside of each solid cookie.
- Position one cookie with a center opening over each jam-covered base, pressing very gently to create a sandwich without forcing out the filling.
- Finish the assembled cookies with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.