Butter cookies are such a universal cookie. There are so many variations that can be done with a basic butter cookie dough. My favorite version is this Jam Filled Butter Cookies recipe that my Mom has been making as long back as I can remember. It’s scribbled down on a well loved and worn recipe card, dotted with smudges and finger prints. My Mom doesn’t recall the original source of the recipe, but most butter cookie recipes are basically the same.
One of the things I love about this cookie recipe, aside from the butter, is that it’s not overly sweet. The sweetness of the jam perfectly balances the tender butter cookie.
Jam Filled Butter Cookies are a great holiday cookie, and perfect for showers and tea parties. We most recently made these cookies for the latter, a Mom and Daughter tea party.
ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor (We used strawberry for this batch.)
directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

Jam Filled Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup fruit preserves any flavor (We used strawberry for this batch.)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- 2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
- 3. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.
- 4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.
Related articles

My daughter is having a tea-party birthday next week, and I think these look perfect for it. Thanks, Found you at craft frenzy!
My family would love these cookies, so delicious! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE jam filled cookies!!! I will be adding these to my list of things to make soon!
This would be a great addition to my Independence party especially because my family love these cookies. I am not a good baker so I always buy the Pepperidge Farm kind, but this year I am going to bake them myself
These look yummy! Could easily be made gluten free!
These cookies look delicious, I can’t wait to try this. I’d love to try this using guava jelly. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
What about adding a chocolate Hershey after baked without jam?
We haven’t tried that, but it sounds like a good idea. Please let us know how it turns out!