It’s my third (and sadly, last) cookie recipe for Christmas Cookie Extravaganza 2013.  And I saved the best for last.

These cookies – simply called Jammers – are famous in the Cookie World.  They are a Dorie Greenspan creation, and Dorie serves them at her cookie-centric bakery in the Lower East Side, named Beurre and Sel (or, Butter and Salt).  I haven’t made it down there to taste test what would inevitably be all her cookies, but this cookie’s reputation is known to most bakers.  Lucky for us, Dorie and Bon Appetit have brought her Jammers recipe to the people.

They are, essentially, the best butter cookie ever.  The bottom is a simple butter cookie; put a dollop of jam, and envelop that jam with a buttery, sweet, simple streusel.  Bake.  The result is incredible.  The jam and the streusel give these cookies a truly excellent flavor and texture.  The cookies can be made with any thick jam, but my favorites were blackberry and my homemade quince jam.  The blackberry gives the cookie a rich, deep, juicy taste, and the quince – well, it’s my favorite jam EVER.   My grandmother made simpler thumbprint butter cookies with quince jam in the center, and eating these Jammers with quince made me feel like I was back in her kitchen.

Stop whatever you are doing right now, run to your kitchen, and make these cookies.  Trust me, they are so worth it.

One year ago:  Almond Wreath Cookies (Mandelkränzchen) and Cauliflower Purée with Parmesan and Thyme
Two years ago:  Sweet and Sour Glazed Pork Chops with Stewed Sweet Peppers, Pistachio Meringues and Artisanal Macaroni and Cheese

Beurre and Sel Jammers

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Makes 33-36 jammers

Ingredients

Cookie Dough
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

Streusel and Assembly
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
5 1/2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup thick jam, such as quince, apricot, and blackberry

Special equipment
A 2-inch cookie cutter; 3 standard 12-cup muffin tins (you can use one tin and bake the cookies in batches)

Preparation

1.  Cookie Dough.  Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes.  Add both sugars and salt, then beat until well blended, about 1 minute.  Reduce speed to low; beat in egg yolks and vanilla.  Add flour n a few batches and mix just to combine. Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.

2.  Dump the dough onto the counter or cutter board, and divide it in half.  Place each half between sheets of parchment or waxed paper. Flatten dough into disks. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough, occasionally lifting paper on both sides for easy rolling, until the dough is 1/4 inches thick.  Freeze the two rounds of dough in the paper until firm, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Dough can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep frozen.

3.  Streusel.  Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a small mixing bowl.  Using your fingertips, rub butter and vanilla into dry ingredients until no large lumps remain and butter is well incorporated. The streusel will be sandy and hold its shape when pressed between your fingers.  Cover and chill in the fridge. DO AHEAD: Streusel can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

4.  Assembly.  Arrange a rack in middle of your oven; preheat to 350°.  Take one of the two disks of dough, and using a 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out rounds of frozen dough, then repeat with other dough.  Place rounds in bottom of muffin cups and gently pat to flatten.* Continue cutting frozen dough into rounds; gather scraps and repeat process of rolling out and cutting to make 34 rounds. Cover muffin tins with foil and chill in freezer until dough is firm, about 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

*  Since I only have one muffin tin, I placed the cut-out rounds of cookie dough on baking sheets, and frozen them for 30 minutes.  Then I’d take out 12 cookie dough rounds, place in the 12 cups of the tin, while leaving the rest in the freezer.

5.  Spoon about 1 teaspoon jam into the center of each round of dough.  Using your fingers or a small spoon, sprinkle 1-1 1/2 tablespoons streusel around edges of each cookie, trying not to get any in the jam.  Bake cookies, in batches if needed, until sides and streusel are golden, 20-22 minutes.  Let cool in tins for 15 minutes, then run a small knife around edges of muffin cups; gently remove cookies and let cool completely on a wire rack. DO AHEAD: Cookies can be baked 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature .