Jam Jams

I remember my Grammie Bessie making these, among the many kinds of cookies she baked for her grandchildren.  She didn't use molasses, though, in her jam cookies. 

I like these, but I suppose, due to eating jam jams without molasses as a child, I lean towards the non-molasses version. I chose to put strawberry jam in these cookies, because it is a fav jam and because all we had on hand were strawberry or apple. I'm intrigued that the recipe contributor mentions liking lemon frosting in between the cookies. I'm sure frosting on any cookie makes it that much more wonderful!

The directions do not call for a hole in the top cookie of the cookie sandwich, but I remember that's how Grammie Bessie made them, so that's how I made them! Rolling the dough as thin as you can is important, mostly because with the sandwiching, you'd have a wide mouthful if you rolled the cookies thick.  Some fancier jam jams, I found online, use decorative cookie cutters such as stars and hearts, which makes for a very picturesque plate. 

I put the cookie dough in the fridge overnite, and yesterday I should have baked them off, but life being what it is, got busy. An extra night didn't seem to harm the dough, but I did discover that you need to work with the dough quickly, once it is out of the fridge. Especially on a hot July day! It warms and sticks to your rolling pin. I had to heavily flour my silicone pastry mat and the dough itself. I carefully transferred the cutouts to a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Even so, I accidentally spilled some sticky dough on the floor, did not notice, and later found it had been ground into the kitchen rug. I scrubbed it up no problem (it is just a utility rug, so no worries with spills) but realized it's a problematic dough, sort of with a mind of its own once it warms to room temperature.

A nice cookie to serve with a cold glass of milk. Mmm-mmm!