We are one day away from December and this past weekend has thrown me completely into Christmas mode. To be honest, it really doesn’t take much, but two days of Black Friday shopping and a few Christmas carols, and I am ready to dive head first into the shopping, gift wrapping, and holiday baking. My grandma has made empire cookies around the holidays for as long as I can remember, and they have always been one of my favorites. My loving them is a bit surprising since I usually prefer rich desserts, but I can never get enough of the buttery shortbread-type cookies with jam sandwiched between them and topped with a simple icing. I can’t believe they haven’t been on the site prior to this, so I’m thrilled to share them with you. Let the holiday baking begin!
I love coloring the icing to reflect the festive season, so these are topped with red icing. I didn’t have green food coloring or I would have used that as well. You could always use the regular white icing plain, or top the white icing with red and/or green sprinkles.
You can use your favorite type of jam in these cookies and while I typically use raspberry jam, I was able to try a set of Crofter’s Superfruit Spreads recently and used the South America spread, which is Maqui berries and passionfruit blended with red grapes and morello cherries. This stuff is seriously good. So good. These spreads are 100% organic and include four unique fruit combinations from different regions of the world and are sweetened with fair-trade sugar. The variations include:
♦ Asia – Raspberries and yumberries blended with morello cherries and red grapes.
♦ Europe – Pomegranates and black currants blended with red grapes and morello cherries.
♦ North America – Wild cranberries and blueberries blended with red grapes and morello cherries.
♦ South America – Maqui berries and passionfruit blended with red grapes and morello cherries.
These spreads are perfect for any recipe that calls for your favorite jam, and will liven up your breakfast toast or PB&J sandwich.
I love these spreads and love that the company was founded by an immigrant family, so I’m thrilled to give away sets of Crofter’s Superfruit Spreads to TWO lucky readers, who will be selected at random. Each set includes the four spreads pictured and described above. The giveaway guidelines:
Deadline: Wednesday, December 3, 2009 11:59pm EST
Required: Your email address. You must fill out the email address portion of the comment form (it will not be published) or I will not be able to contact you should you win.
Restrictions: Due to shipping restrictions, this giveaway is only for those with U.S. and Canada mailing addresses. My apologies to international readers!
How to Enter: It’s simple! Leave a comment on this post and answer the following question: What is your favorite recipe using jam?
For an Extra Entry: Tweet about this giveaway, post about it on your blog, or post about it on Facebook. Then come back and leave a link to your Tweet, blog post, or Facebook post for a possible 3 extra entries.
Good Luck!
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
The giveaway is now closed and the two winners have been selected by Random.org.
Congratulations to commenter #61, Jennifer! Her favorite recipe using jam:
“my favorite recipe with jam has to be caramelized onions. you cook some little pearl onions in a couple teaspoons of Currant jam/jelly, among other things…unfortunately I’m blanking on what else goes in there, oops! but anyway, they’re SO GOOD. I love having them as part of a holiday meal.”
And congratulations to commenter #218, Annie! Her favorite recipe using jam:
“I love Italian plum crostata. The recipe uses my parents’ backyard plums . Because there is an overbundance, and we are unable to eat them all at once, my Mom makes plum jam which she uses in the recipe.“
Empire Cookies
Yield: About 4 dozen
For the Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup of your favorite jamFor the Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon milk1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture just until combined.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a little less than ¼-inch thick. Using a 1¾-inch round or fluted cookie cutter, cut out rounds. Place about one inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, just until the edges start to color. Watch closely, as they can get too dark rather quickly! Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
5. Spread bottom side of half of the cookies with about ¼ teaspoon of jam. Top with remaining cookies.
6. To make icing, whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk, adjusting the milk and powdered sugar to reach the desired consistency. Spread over the tops of the cookies. Let stand until icing is completely dry. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tags: Cookies, Jam/Jelly
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i love to make strawberry jam omlettes. when the omlette is almost done, u put a big spoon of jam in the middle and fold in on the side . the jam will become runny n gooey.soooo good
Peanut butter thumbprint cookies with strawberry or raspberry jam are my favorite, but I definitely want to try your recipe. Thanks for a chance at the giveaway!
Thumbprint cookies are my fave.
White chocolate raspberry cheesecake
oh wow those look great! My gram made ones that looked like little empanadas with jam in them – yummy!
I love anything with raspberry jam. In particular I make a wicked raspberry coconut bar that gets gobbled up around here!
yum! i have to go with thumbprint cookies…an oldie but goodie!
I’m new to this whole cooking/baking thing but am soo looking forward to cooking with jam! My grandmother used to make the best sour cherry jam with the sour cherries from our backyard when I was growing up!
What cute cookies!
I really just enjoy jam best on toast! I’m boring
Toast, whole wheat with butter and homemade jam…..
I have an amazing recipe for chocolate-strawberry bundt cake using strawberry jam…made it sooo light and really moist. YUM!
I use grape jam in my spaghetti sauce and meatballs in grape jam and Hienz 57 sauce is good too.
I don’t bake with jam all that often. The only thing that comes to mind are thumbprint cookies… Although there’s some inspiration from the comments above mine, especially about grape jam in spaghetti sauce. Kelly Ann — how did you think of that, and what does it add to the sauce??? (I’m so curious about this one!)
I love thumbprint cookies! And I suppose I could make them at other times of the year, but they seem to appear only at Christmas. Thanks for a great giveaway.
Raspberry or strawberry jam in peach melba!
Raspberry oatmeal bars!
Mine is my grandma’s rugelach recipe. She uses finely chopped fruits but also jams to make a smooth yet textured rugelach filling. Hope I win, I’ll share with her!
I like to make Thumbprint Cookies. They are so colorful and perfect for Xmas. Plus the kids love to help make them.
I also like to make an appetizer in my crockpot using jam, bbq sauce and a bag of frozen meatballs. It gets raves at parties. Great giveaway, thanks!
Actually my favorite jam is probably the easiest–Strawberry Freezer jam but I also love to make Apple Butter in the crock pot as well. Wonderful giveaway and thanks for the chance.
Those cookies LOOK yummy!!! I do wonder if there is a way to make them peanut butter and have a yummy peanut butter and jelly like sandwich cookie! YUM!
I love jam thumb print cookies! So nice for the holidays!
Hot jam sandwiches! It’s basically a jam sandwich that you dip in egg and fry like french toast. So good!
I love making hazelnut thumbprints with red raspberry jam! Another staple in my house is cream cheese and jelly sandwiches.. talk about comfort food
Mmmm, mmmm jam!!
I don’t use jam much for cooking, but I do have a really yummy salad with jerk chicken recipe that uses pineapple jam in the dressing.
I like to use jam to make thumbprint cookies, but these certainly look yummy!
I love using jam in my swiss meringue buttercream. Not exactly a recipe, but it compliments so many yummy cakes!
Thumbprint cookies with strawberry jam
I hope that PB + J counts as a recipe. It honestly is my favorite use of jam.
My fav is peanut butter cookies with grape jam centers!
Well, I haven’t actually tried it yet, but I’m planning to soon – donut muffins with jelly/jam centers!
I have two favorite recipes using jam. The first are star shaped Christmas cookies with red currant jam or seedless red raspberry jam sandwiched between them. The second are double ginger scones with peach jam (homemade of course). I recently received a jar of Burnt Fig jam from Australia and am loving that heated and poured over ice cream!
I love to make PB & J cookies. I first made these for my best friend. She & I were known as the PB & J girls in college so I decided to make her these yummy double-layered heart shaped peanut butter cookies with grape jelly sandwiched in between.
I love to bake Raspberry Bars – shortbread cookies sandwiched with raspberry seedless jam then dusted with powdered sugar. Yum! Second runner-up is Apricot Dots – same concept but round cookies with apricot jam.
I make a strawberry tart and I use Strawberry jam as the glaze over the strawberries. yummy!!!
Not necessarily a ‘recipe’…but definitely peanut butter and jam on toast
Yum, I love raspberry jam bars.
I’ve honestly never cooked with jam but i hav with orange marmalade which I assume is close. They were these wonderful bars made out of sugar cookie dough, orange marmalade, drizzles with chocolate and nuts, so yummy. I believe it was a g
.
Giada recipe
Does toast count as a recipe? Ok well I like it on homemade bread, is that better?LOL
Shorty
I love thumbprint cookies!
Love your cookies! They are gorgeous. I like to make almond bars with raspberry jam! Yum!
I love using apricot, peach and pineapple jams to do a sweet and spicy glaze for meats like chicken or shrimp! So tasty and what a nice giveaway!
LAphant81@aol.com
I like thumbprints…peanut butter cookie with jam thumbprint!
I love strawberry shortbread cookies!
my favorite recipe is the simplest recipe… I love adding jam to my plain yogurt for an afternoon snack. Simple and delicious.
My grandmother’s nut tortes with warmed apricot jam spread between the layers to help keep them moist or her sweet rolls filled with any jam she had on hand.
Thumbprint butter cookies w/ Smuckers Seedless Raspberry jam are my absolute favorite – I make them at Christmas AND also as a Valentines Day treat for my honey
Oh, I love how modern-looking and festive these cookies are! So smart and delicious.
Raspberry Almond Thumbprint cookies…yum!
My favorite recipe using jam is not so much a recipe as a combination: baked brie covered with apricot jam. Yummm
These look awesome, and I think I might just have to give them a try. But my hands-down favorite recipe with jam is raspberry-walnut baked brie. Mmmmm…
Your cookies look so pretty. Linzer cookies are my favorite thing to make with jam.
Normally I would say jam thumbprints but on my blog a little bit ago I made Fangbite Cookies filled with homemade strawberry rhubarb jam and they were delicious.
Peanut butter cookies w/raspberry jam!! yummy…
My favorite jam recipe is simple. Take 8oz of cream cheese roll it out between sheets of plastic wrap. Spread jam. Roll it up and serve with crackers. Mmmmmm good!
My favorite jam recipe is simple. Roll out 8oz of cream cheese between sheets of plastic wrap. Spread jam. Roll up and serve with crackers. Mmmmmm good!
http://www.facebook.com/#/paulette.armstrong?ref=profile
Thumbprint cookies and homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Nothing beats grinding peanuts and boiling down fresh berries for a snack.
My favorite recipe with jam is putting it in vanilla ice cream!!!!!! It gives it a little something extra that regular ice cream mix ins do not do!!!!!
These sound like a fabulous combination. One of my favorite jam treats is a raspberry cheesecake bar with a shortbread crust. Oh so yummy!
My favorite recipe using jam is linzer cookies of course, and Swedish pancakes!
These look so good!
I adooooreee linzer cookies/tarts! They are sooo delicious!
favorite recipe; these christmas martha stewart pinwheel cookies that called for raspberry jam. they rocked!
Oooo I’d love some Crofter’s Jam! Thumbprint Cookies for sure! Or PB/Jam in my oatmeal
My favorite recipe using jam is actually an appetizer…there is nothing I love more than brie cheese covered in apricot or raspberry jam with a side of some sort of crackers. It’s so easy but so delicious!
My favorite recipe using jam is jam with peanut butter in between two slices of bread! it’s yummyyyy.
tweeted! (#1)
http://twitter.com/JeLoOoo/status/6243562756
Those cookies look delicious. I like to use jam when I make jelly cakes.
I love making peanut butter thumb print cookies, with all sorts of different flavored jams. I hope I win. They all sound sooooo yummy!!!!
I love thumbprint cookies! December always makes me think of how my sister and I used to make them every year for our neighborhood’s holiday cookie exchange party.
you’re cookies looks funny
thank you 
my favorite recipe using jam(usally raspberry) is linzer cookies! great giveaway!
My favorite recipe is oatmael jam bars.
and i’m in now Turkey but my adress in USA
)
My absolute favorite jam recipe is so simple. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are my favorite comfort food. No matter how I’m feeling, a peanut butter with strawberry jam sandwich makes me smile
I am SALIVATING. Those jams sound DELISH. I’d use them in my mother-in-law’s recipe for apricot thumbprint cookies – just sub them in for the apricot jam she usually uses. And also just spread them on toast, of course
my favorite jam recipe is to use a berry jam over prok tenderloin and roast it. Then add some chicken stock and make gravy to put on top at the table.
I’m rather simple – my favorite “recipe” using jam is topping a wheel of brie with jam, then wrapping it in puff pastry and baking it. Best if served with sliced pears. Yum!
My favorite all time jam/jelly recipe is just a PB & J on rye with seedless blackberry jam. The runner up would be homemade jelly doughnuts any delicious filling will do.
raspberry jam crumble bars!
I love when people use jam between cake layers!
I love these cookies !
My favorite recipe with jam is biscuit sablé with a hole in the center for the jam!
By the way, your blog is awesome
These look delicious…there must be hundreds of ways to use them…thank you for the opportunity!!
giveaway entry. Love it!
Ohhhh, Deb’s raspberry breakfast bars from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/raspberry-breakfast-bars/. Yummmm
If I’m being honest here, my absolute favorite would have to be peanut butter and jam sandwich!
My grandma’s jelly roll!
I love using starwberry jam in a jam bars recipe with granola and sugar topping.
Nothing can beat a pb and j with really good jam!!! And a tall glass of cold milk. Mustache included!
Favorite recipe using jam is a sloppy joe that includes grape jam! So yummy!
My favorite recipe is a gingersnap cookie sandwich with raspberry jam inside!
I loooooove thumbprint cookies! Especially when you have a really great jam, the thumbprint cookie always seems to heighten the flavors. Great giveaway – thank you!
I love thumbrint cookies!!! : )
This is SUCH A GREAT giveaway.
Yum! For me, it’s a tossup between Bakewell Tart and Sachertorte.
I just tweeted about your contest here: http://twitter.com/davisesq212
Raspberry thumbprints!
My favorit recipe using jam is simple: a yummy peanut butter and jelly sandwich with strawberry jam and toasted wheat bread.
I make a bar cookie called Rapsberry Heaven Bars. They are raspberry jam, oats, pecans and more – delicious! Thanks!
A good jam mixed in brownie batter adds a fruity kick to the brownie batch. It also goes well with ice cream as a mix-in!
I just tweeted. http://Www.twitter.com/kawaiichristi
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