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Unique and delicious Oatmeal Jammys! These terrific little tart-like cookies are true gems and so much easier to make than you’d think.
Oatmeal Jammys
These cookies are crispy, tender, buttery shortbread oatmeal cookies filled with jam and a sprinkle of streusel around the edges. While Oatmeal Jammys take a minute to assemble they’re easy to make and worth every minute in the kitchen. We love these unique Oatmeal Jammys and bet you will too!
Use a variety of jams for beautiful jewel-toned treats.
First, this is not a sponsored post but I’d like to take a moment to compliment Stonewall Kitchen on their amazing jams. I’ve never been disappointed with any of their products and I’ve bought many over the years. For these Oatmeal Jammy cookies you should always use jam in the middle, not jelly.
Jelly is often sweeter than jam and may burn when baked. For the cookies in the photos we used blueberry, apricot, and raspberry. We’ve also made them with sour cherry jam and peach! If you only want to buy one jar of jam, start with raspberry. It’s a must-try 🙂
How to make perfectly round cookies
To create a perfectly round cookie that won’t spread we use a 12-well regular size muffin tin. The cookie dough is made in a food processor which takes all of 5 minutes. One tablespoon of the crumbly dough is pressed into each well of the muffin pan. I use a small cookie scoop to make quick work of this step.
Next, a teaspoon of jam is dolloped in the middle of each cookie base. Finally a spoonful of crumbled cookie dough is sprinkled around the outside edges to create the streusel. Bake for about 16 minutes or just until the edges are golden brown and the jam is bubbling. Don’t over-bake the cookies!
The jam sets up as the cookies cool.
Cool the Oatmeal Jammys in the pan for at least five minutes before removing to a wire rack. The cookies are crumbly when hot but hold together beautifully once cooled. After the cookies are cool, the jam is not at all sticky and only slightly tacky. You can easily store the cookies stacked between layers of wax paper or parchment in an airtight container. They don’t stick to the paper and won’t look messy.
These are best stored at room temperature and will keep for up to five days. If you’re looking for a fun, delicious and beautiful laundry day baking project, give these a try! Both projects are of the hurry-up-and-wait variety. Fold a load of clothes, bake a pan of cookies. Repeat. 🙂
Did I mention that these Oatmeal Jammys freeze beautifully? Yes they do so no worries if you want to bake ahead for the holidays 🙂
Here’s another option for making Oatmeal Jammys.
If you don’t want to make these cookies in a muffin pan you can also use biscuit or cookie cutters. The blueberry Oatmeal Jammy at the top of the photo was made in a muffin tin. The middle raspberry cookie was formed using a 2 and 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place the cookie cutter on a parchment lined baking sheet and fill with cookie dough.
Once the jam and streusel are in place, gently lift off the cookie cutter and repeat.
This method is a great way to make larger cookies: the apricot Jammy in the photo above was made using a 3-inch cookie cutter. This 3-inch cutter makes a big cookie that is more like a mini-tart. When baking larger cookies be sure the cookie base is thick enough to support the jam and streusel, and that it doesn’t bend when cooled. Honestly you could make these cookies in any pan you want, even 4-inch mini tart pans with removable bottoms.
Cookie Inspiration
The idea for these cookies came from a lady I met at a neighborhood party.
In the spring of 2014 I met a really nice lady at a neighborhood block party at our son’s house. We discussed baking at great length while enjoying BBQ and my Tangy Lemon Bars. While we were talking about our favorite cookies when she mentioned that her daughter made a great Oatmeal Jammy with a crumbly streusel around the edges.
Unfortunately I forgot her name and so was not able to get their recipe but the idea really stuck with me for all these years. I researched recipes for Oatmeal Jammys but never found what I was looking for.
Finally, I got in the kitchen and came up with my own recipe. I started with my recipe for Almond Tea Cakes with Wild Blueberry Jam, substituted oats for the almond flour and made a few other changes, including baking in a full-size muffin tin. These cookies have been widely taste-tested and everyone unanimously agrees, “don’t change a thing!”
Oatmeal Jammys
Equipment
- muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (264g)
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats (147g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (108g)
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed (53g)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly (250g or 9-ounces)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10-12 ounces assorted jams room temperature
- vegetable cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray a regular size 12-well muffin pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour, oats, sugars, baking powder and salt until blended. Add the butter and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture becomes a crumbly dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed to help it combine. Some of it will seem dry – that's okay.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a large bowl and stir to combine. The dry crumbs in the bottom will be used for the streusel so no worries if it all won’t stick together.
- Scoop out a level, slightly packed small cookie scoop full of dough (1 tablespoon) and drop into one of the muffin tin wells. Using your fingers lightly press the dough into the bottom of the pan making sure it is level. Repeat until the pan is full.
- Dollop one full teaspoon of jam into the center of the cookie base in the muffin tin. Using a small spoon scatter crumbled dough around the outside edges of the cookie surrounding the jam. Press very lightly if needed to hold it together.
- Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the jam is bubbling and the cookie is lightly browned on the edges. Do not over-bake! Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. To remove the cookie from the muffin tin use a small rubber spatula to tilt the cookie up. If it starts to crumble, let it cool a little longer. Once cooled, store at room temperature in an airtight container. Cookies will keep for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
- This recipe is easily halved to yield 20 cookies
- The cookies are very crumbly when they first come out of the oven but firm up as they cool.
- The cookies will soften slightly after a few hours.
- If you don’t want to wait for the cookies to cool in the pan before making the next batch, use paper cupcake liners and remove the paper once the cookie is cooled.
- Use jam for this recipe – not jelly. We’ve tried Sour Cherry Jam, Apricot, Wild Blueberry, Raspberry and Peach – all delicious!
- Create larger cookies by using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter in place of the muffin tin. You can also use a larger 3-inch cookie cutter for a tart-sized cookie. The bigger the cookie, the thicker the base must be to keep from bending. Place the cookie cutter on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add the dough, press to create the base, top with jam and the streusel. Gently lift off the cookie cutter and repeat.
Nutrition
More great jam filled treats!
Mary Berry's Viennese Whirls
Enjoy these delicious, tender melt-in-your-mouth butter cookies slathered with raspberry jam and a light vanilla buttercream filling.
View this Recipe
Almond Tea Cakes with Wild Blueberry Jam
Tender little buttery gems with loads of flavor from the almond extract and almond flour.
View this Recipe
Old-World Linzer Cookies
A lovely nutty butter cookie with hints of cinnamon and lightly sweetened with jam
View this Recipe
Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprints
A tender shortbread cookie packed with raspberry jam & topped with a simple almond flavored icing. Not just for the holidays!
View this Recipe
Brooke
Great cookies! I make them in mini muffin pans for a smaller cookie. Used an assortment of jams from a Bonne Maman advent calendar! Had a great variety.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Brooke. I’m so glad you made these. They are a personal favorite of mine. Enjoy!
Doreen
Can you use lemon curd in place of jam in this recipe?
Tricia Buice
Yes you can Doreen. That should be tasty!
Heather
I made this full recipe just as written and it turned out perfectly. Made exactly 24. I think measuring exactly 1 T of dough in the bottom and 1 tsp of jam is key to success. The Stonewall Maine Blueberry jam was my favorite. Apricot was also great. The Stonewall Raspberry was a bit thinner. All my store had was seedless so that was probably the difference but still worked fine. I just put a tiny bit more of the crumbly mixture around it to create a slightly thicker wall.
Tricia Buice
Thanks Heather! I’m so happy you made these delicious cookies. What a treat 😉
Leah
I’ve made these twice now and they’re so delicious.
I’ve never gotten close to 38 cookies, generally closer to 26 or 28, but I might be packing my cookie scoop too much.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Leah. I’ll double check the count next time I make these but I’ve already made them so many times, I think my calculation is correct. Glad you enjoyed them and maybe just make them a little smaller next time! Thank you so much 🙂
Jenna
Can’t wait to try them out! Just wondering, why does jelly not work the same as jam? What would happen if I use jelly instead?
Tricia Buice
Hi Jenna. Jelly has a lot more sugar in it than jam so the bars will be a lot sweeter. Also, the jelly might burn around the edges due to the high sugar content. Let us know if you try it anyway!
Megan
This is the second year I have made these and they are quite good. However, when halving the recipe, using the one tbsp of dough in each cup only gives you 12 cookies, not 20 as indicated.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for making these cookies Megan. The recipe makes 38 cookies so half would be around 19. I’ve made these so many times and am always close to that amount. However, I’ll double check again next time I bake these. We appreciate the feedback.
Debbie
LOVE THESE COOKIES! I saved the recipe a few months ago, but just got around to making them. My favorite cookies are the kind with the jam in the middle and these do not disappoint. In fact, they are probably my favorite for taste and it doesn’t hurt that the recipe comes together very quickly!
Tricia Buice
I’m so glad you made these Debbie. Truly a delicious cookie and so fun to make. Thanks for the feedback!
Jo Lynn Lowanse
How do I make these Oatmeal Jammy cookies without a good processor? They certainly look yummy!
Tricia Buice
Hi Jo Lynn! I would recommend using quick oats and the mixing the ingredients together with a pastry blender. It should work fine! Enjoy
Amy
I made these with Raspberry and Apricot Jam they were fantastic. I did convert the 18 Tbsp of butter to 1.125 cups so I used a little over a cup, it would be nice to put a more practical measurement. I didn’t have a food processor so I used a Nutri-Bullet blender it work out okay.
My husband added Two Scoops of ice cream for each Oatmeal Jammies, he had TWO, he thinks I need to make them again! These are a must make again!!
Thanks for the recipe!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Amy. However I did provide three different ways to measure the butter. The butter is listed as 18 tablespoons with grams and ounces noted at the end of the line. So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the feedback.
Farah
Made it for the first time and nailed it so easily!
Thank you for creating and sharing such divine recipe!!!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Farah! So glad you made these wonderful cookies. One of my personal favorites for sure. Thanks for the feedback!
Debby
I have made these a couple of times, and they are a hit. Delicious! I was just wondering if I could substitute margarine for the butter? Will it make a difference in the crispness?
Thanks for the recipe!
Tricia Buice
Hi Debby. I haven’t tried this recipe with margarine. I wonder if they’d be too crisp as margarine is more oily than butter. Let us know if you try it with that substitution.
Leslie
I made the oatmeal jammys gluten free by swapping out all purpose flour for buckwheat flour, 1:1. I liked the buckwheat version even better than the original!
Tricia Buice
Outstanding Leslie! Good to know and now I’ll have to try it. Thanks for sharing your experience.
LaurieBeth
Delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Tricia Buice
Thank you LaurieBeth! I LOVE these cookies 🙂
Lori Fry
I have made these a couple of times now, my husband loves them. I gave the neighbor a couple and now he wants me to make him some. I have to go my husband wants me to make some more…
Tricia Buice
Haha – thanks so much Lori! I love these little cookies. The jam, the chewy oatmeal – so good!
Maureen
Oh my God…..so so goooood!! Great recipe Tricia!!!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Maureen! We are a jam loving family.
Kate Marsh
I made this recipe as written. The jammers are delicious. The recipe made about 15 cookies for me. I pressed the dough into place with a tart tamper. I put the second ball of dough on top and used the smaller end of the tamper to make the imprint for the jam. I sprayed the pan with the flour baking spray. I let them rest for about 10 minutes before removing from muffin tin. They all came out easily. I will be making these for the holidays.
Tricia Buice
Hi Kate! Thanks for trying this recipe. These are one of my favorite cookies. So happy they worked well for you. They’re perfect for the holidays! We appreciate you taking the time to come back and leave a comment.
LeAnn
Made these for my husband, post holiday. Top 5 cookie recipe – so easy, and yet delicious. Just not interested in time consuming recipes, and this is a standout for ease + taste + appearance. I did press down too much on the side topping. Did not impact taste, but a cautionary tale:). House smells delicious. Made a half batch; for me that made a dozen, which was so low effort. Just done w roll cookies! Really appreciate the video, and the great level of measurement detail on assembly. Great recipe that I’ll make again.
Tricia Buice
Thanks for trying the recipe LeAnn! I LOVE everything about these cookies, the flavor, the texture, the ease in making. Thank you for taking the time to comment!
mady.kenniston
looks really good can,t wait to try
Tricia Buice
Enjoy!
Linda
I would love to try the oatmeal jammies recipe. I am wondering if you have ever tried this cookie supplementing the butter with equal parts applesauce for a lower fat version?
Tricia Buice
Hi Linda. No I haven’t tried using anything other than butter. I don’t think these would crisp up the same and may be too soft to hold together. There’s no egg to bind and applesauce may cause them to be more like oatmeal. In this case I think butter is the key to a successful cookie. Sorry
Judy
These looked so good I had to try this recipe. They mixed up well and were easy to pop into the well greased tins. During baking I was convinced they would crumble and not work out. But voila, I gently removed them after 5- 10 minutes and they popped out nicely. Haven’t tried one yet but can’t wait for dessert! Thanks.
Note, if the jam or jelly runs to the side and sticks to the tin they would be difficult to remove. Do measure carefully.
Tricia Buice
Hi Judy. Thanks for trying the recipe. These are some of my favorite cookies!
Dora Dimarco Garcia
Can’t wait to make these can u use! Solo pastry filling instead of jam?
Thanks
Dora
Tricia Buice
Hi Dora. I have never tried using the Solo filling but I think it would work well. Sounds good! Let us know how it goes for you 🙂