Strawberry Jam Drops

  • Prep time:

  • Cook time:

  • Total time:

  • Portion/Yield:

    Makes 12–15

  • Difficulty:

    Easy

I have made so much strawberry and redcurrant jam this year, to the point where I now have to find recipes to use the jam up with.

We sell jars of homemade jams, pickles and chutneys from the bar counter, along with a biscuit to nibble with a cup of tea or an indulging chocolate brownie.

These jam drops remind me of when I was a child during our summer school holidays, when Gran used to make jars of biscuits for us to nibble on and enjoy. They are good memories and when I make biscuits I always remember those joyful summer holidays.

Use any jam of your choice, and remember to make the hole large enough in the centre of each biscuit so that the jam does not run out of the hole – be generous with the jam and don’t be scared to add a bit extra, because as the biscuits bake, the jam reduces.

I sprinkle the biscuits with caster sugar as soon as they come out of the oven, as it gives a bit of extra texture and looks pretty too.photo of Strawberry Jam Dropsphoto of Strawberry Jam Drops

Ingredients & Method

  • 125g unsalted butter, softened
  • 100g caster sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
  • 1 egg
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 60–75g strawberry and redcurrant jam (or you can use loganberry jam, if you like)

Put the butter, the 100g sugar and the vanilla seeds in a bowl and cream together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg until well blended. Sift the flour over the creamed mixture, then fold it in until well combined – the dough will be very soft at this stage. Transfer the dough to a piece of cling film, wrap it in the cling film, then refrigerate for about 3 hours or until the dough has firmed up but is still pliable (see Cook’s Note).

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper and set aside. Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls, then place them on the prepared baking tray, leaving space between each one. Flatten each ball of dough slightly, then use your thumb dipped in flour to make a well in the centre of each one, deep enough to hold the jam. Spoon a teaspoon of jam into each hole.

Bake the biscuits in the oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle over the remaining 1 tablespoon caster sugar, leave the biscuits to cool slightly on the baking tray, then transfer them to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Store the cooled biscuits in an airtight container in a cool, dry cupboard for up to 1 week.

Cook’s Note
The biscuit dough can be made up to 3 days in advance. Make and wrap the dough as directed, then keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days, before shaping and baking it as directed.