Our old fashioned jam drops are the most delicious melt-in-your mouth thumbprint cookies filled with sweet jam! Made from just 6 ingredients with less than 10 minutes preparation time!
There's a very good reason that these classic jam drops have stood the test of time... they really are absolutely delicious (and SO simple to make!). Just like our old fashioned choc chip cookies, ANZACS and shortbread recipes, these jam drops are sure to become a family favourite!
Ingredients For Jam Drops
Our simple jam drops are made from just 6 basic ingredients:
Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
- butter - you can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. Soften the butter to room temperature before using.
- caster sugar - this is also known as superfine sugar and is a fine white sugar
- egg - I recommend using a large egg (approximately 60g)
- plain flour - this is also known as all-purpose flour
- baking powder - this acts as the rising agent in this recipe
- jam - you can use absolutely any kind of jam you like! Strawberry, raspberry, apricot or blueberry are all popular options.
How To Make Jam Drops
It's so easy to make our jam drops using either hand-held beaters, a stand-mixer or a Thermomix.
Please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method.
Step 1 - Cream the butter and sugar
Beat until pale, creamy and smooth.
Step 2 - Mix through the egg
Step 3 - Sift over the plain flour and baking powder
Mix together with a spoon until combined.
Step 4 - Roll the dough
Roll the dough into balls (using approximately 2 teaspoons of mixture per ball). Place onto flat baking trays and use your finger to create an indent. Add a tiny amount of jam to each indent (see my tips below!)
Step 5 - Chill the biscuits
Chill the biscuits in the fridge for 30 minutes (see my tips below).
Step 6 - Bake the biscuits
Bake the jam drops until very lightly golden.
Tips For Making Jam Drops (And Avoiding Common Problems)
How To Stop Jam Drops From Spreading
One of the most common issues when making jam drops is that they spread too much. Here's 3 simple ways to avoid over-spreading from happening:
- carefully measure your baking powder - only ½ teaspoon is required. The baking powder is the rising agent in this recipe so it's important not to use too much!
- use just 2 teaspoons of mixture per jam drop. It might look like your jam drop mixture balls are tiny, but they will flatten and spread once baked.
- the most important tip to avoid spreading is to chill the biscuits before baking! This allows the fat in the butter to solidify, which means that it will slowly melt when baked. If you don't chill the biscuits, they will almost certainly over-spread.
Rolling The Biscuits
This is a 3 step process:
- Roll balls using 2 teaspoons of mixture and place onto flat baking trays. Place the balls at least 5cm-6cm apart to allow for spreading.
- Use the tip of your little finger to create an indent in the middle of each ball. The indent should go approximately one-third to one-half of the way through the ball. Don't flatten the ball (it will flatten and spread when baking).
- Use just a tiny amount of jam (and I can't stress TINY anymore!) in each indent. The jam should almost come to the top of the indent but should not be completely to the top or the jam will run when baked.
Baking The Biscuits
Jam drops take just 10 minutes to bake:
- Rotate the trays partway through cooking.
- The cookies are cooked when they are just lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storing The Biscuits
Jam drops can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Alternatively they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Classic Cookie & Biscuit Recipes
If you love our old fashioned jam drops, then please browse our other classic biscuit and cookie recipes:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- ANZAC Biscuits
- Condensed Milk Cookies (100 Cookie Recipe)
- Cornflake Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Shortbread
- Monte Carlo Biscuits
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Jam Drops
Ingredients
- 180 g butter softened to room temperature
- 220 g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 300 g (2 cups) plain flour sifted
- ½ tsp baking powder
- jam any flavour
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Beat the sugar and softened butter with electric beaters or a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and continue to mix until combined.
- Sift in the plain flour and baking powder. Stir gently to combine.
- Roll the mixture into small balls (2 teaspoons of mixture per ball).
- Place the cookie balls onto the baking trays and use the tip of your little finger to create an indent in the middle that goes apprximately one-third to one-half of the way down).
- Place a very small (TINY!) amount of jam into each indent.
- Place the trays into the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
- Bake the cookies for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Leave the cookies on the baking trays for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease and line two baking trays with baking paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar for 20 seconds, Speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 20 seconds, Speed 4.
- Add egg and mix for 10 seconds, Speed 4.
- Add flour and baking powder and mix for 20 seconds, Speed 5.
- Roll the mixture into small balls (2 teaspoons of mixture per ball).
- Place the cookie balls onto the baking trays and use the tip of your little finger to create an indent in the middle that goes apprximately one-third to one-half of the way down).
- Place a very small (TINY!) amount of jam into each indent.
- Place the trays into the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
- Bake the cookies for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Leave the cookies on the baking trays for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- butter – you can use either salted or unsalted butter for this recipe. Soften the butter to room temperature before using.
- caster sugar – this is also known as superfine sugar and is a fine white sugar
- egg – I recommend using a large egg (approximately 60g)
- plain flour – this is also known as all-purpose flour
- baking powder – this acts as the rising agent in this recipe
- jam – you can use absolutely any kind of jam you like! Strawberry, raspberry, apricot or blueberry are all popular options.
- carefully measure your baking powder – only ½ teaspoon is required. The baking powder is the rising agent in this recipe so it’s important not to use too much!
- use just 2 teaspoons of mixture per jam drop. It might look like your jam drop mixture balls are tiny, but they will flatten and spread once baked.
- the most important tip to avoid spreading is to chill the biscuits before baking! This allows the fat in the butter to solidify, which means that it will slowly melt when baked. If you don’t chill the biscuits, they will almost certainly over-spread.
- Roll balls using 2 teaspoons of mixture and place onto flat baking trays. Place the balls at least 5cm-6cm apart to allow for spreading.
- Use the tip of your little finger to create an indent in the middle of each ball. The indent should go approximately one-third to one-half of the way through the ball.Don’t flatten the ball (it will flatten and spread when baking).
- Use just a tiny amount of jam (and I can’t stress TINY anymore!) in each indent. The jam should almost come to the top of the indent but should not be completely to the top or the jam will run when baked.
- Rotate the trays partway through cooking.
- The cookies are cooked when they are just lightly golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the trays for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Elizabeth Lee
These are amazing! So easy, soft, and delicious! Although I took the shortcut and didn’t put them in the fridge, (as I didn’t have the fridge room)! Due to that, they spread out more, like mini pancakes! Still tasted great, and the more mistakes the better cook they say!
cheryl Armstrong
Thank you for fridge tip, I’ve been cooking for over 60 yrs and didn’t know. My biscuits cracked around the edges when I flatten them.
I followed the ingredients
Regard Cheryl
Lucy
My pleasure!
Isabell
Hi Lucy can you use self raising flour for this recipe and can you double the recipe
Lucy
Hi there, no I wouldn't as we don't want them to rise very much at all. But yes - you can double the recipe!
Jan
Hi Lucy
Just cooking your biscuits now they look good, I just wanted to know if you wanted to freeze these jam drops do you freeze with the jam or just the dough
Lucy
You can freeze them with the jam!