“The best aspects of the primary school classroom were the sandbox and the ‘tuck trolley’ that delivered the jam-filled cookies we called Jammie Dodgers at eleven o’clock sharp.”
John Taylor, In the Pleasure Groove Deluxe: Love, Death, and Duran Duran
“Technically, Brian was not, in fact, a tea boy, but a laboratory assistant. Nevertheless, as he was the new kid, his duties had so far extended only to boiling the kettle, making the tea, and keeping a close watch on the Jammie Dodgers, as Professor Stefan was convinced that someone was stealing Jammie Dodgers from the biscuit tin. Professor Stefan was wrong about this. It wasn’t ‘someone’ who was stealing Jammie Dodgers.
It was everyone.”
John Connolly, The Creeps: A Samuel Johnson Tale
Jammie Dodgers—fun to eat and fun to say! These sandwich biscuits (or cookies) consist of two thin shortbread halves, held together with strawberry or raspberry jam. They take their name from the character Roger the Dodger (think Dennis the Menace), featured in The Beano, a long-running British children’s comic book. Created by Burton’s Biscuit Company more than half a century ago, the Jammie Dodger is the perfect cookie to eat with a cup of tea. The sticky jam filling is a delicious counterpoint to the simple buttery richness of the shortbread. Traditionally made with a heart cutout that reveals the jam center, the Jammie Dodger is also a visually appealing cookie that makes a lovely addition to any teatime tray.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ cup powdered/confectioners sugar
- 4oz butter
- 2 egg yolks
- Strawberry or raspberry jam
Instructions
- Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add flour and egg yolk and mix until it forms a dough. If necessary, add a teaspoon or two of cold water to help it come together.
- Turn onto a piece of cling film, wrap and put in the fridge for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- Roll out dough and use a cutter to cut out circles. On half of the circles, use a smaller cutter to cut out a center design.
- Place circles on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until the cookies just start to turn golden (about 12 minutes.)
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Turn over the bottom halves and place a dollop of jam on each. Place a top half on the jam and squish down gently.
- Allow to completely cool and store in an airtight container.