Buttery Shortbread Tea Cookie with Sour Cherry Jam
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~ raw, gluten-free ~
The shortbread name can be misleading to those who don’t know the cookie. Is it a bread? A cake? A biscuit? Actually, it’s all of these things. And did you know that January 6th of each year is National Shortbread Day?
Mark your calendars and get your Hallmark greeting cards ready, but let’s start the celebration early by making them now! I think these tea sandwich cookies would be a delightful treat to serve to friends and family.
A typical baked recipe consists of 2 cups butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, and 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. Wowza!
You won’t find any of those ingredients in these cookies. For the shape, I used the Wilton Brownie Dual Cutter. You don’t have to own this mighty fine cutter to make this recipe. Any rectangular cookie cutter would do or even a paring knife would work with some free-hand practice. The size of the cutter you choose will affect the amount this recipe yields.
Keep in mind that raw treats are very rich and filling so don’t make them too big. I also used butter flavoring in this recipe. If you are against using this (not raw) you can substitute the cashews for macadamia nuts since they can have a slight undertone of a buttery flavor.
To create the look and texture that I did, you need to use a fine almond flour. I included a link on how to make a fine powder from almond pulp. If you use whole ground almonds the texture will be totally different. I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe. Blessings, amie sue
Ingredients:
Yields 24 cookies or 12 sandwiches
Cookie dough:
Jam:
- 1 cup dried cherries
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp raw honey
Preparation:
Cookies:
- In a food processor, fitted with the “S” blade, grind the coconut down to a flour. Add the almond flour, cashew flour, and salt. Pulse just long enough to mix the ingredients.
- If you don’t have cashews, use all almond flour.
- Add the sweetener, vanilla bean seeds, and extract. Process until it starts sticking together and forms a ball as the food processor is spinning.
- Roll the dough out 1/4” thickness between two pieces of plastic wrap.
- Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap and press the cookie cutter into the dough.
- Transfer the cookie to the mesh sheet that comes with the dehydrator.
- Place the bottom of the cookie facing up. I want the top of the cookie (which is nice and perfectly smooth) to lay face down on the mesh screen so that the pattern of the mesh will leave an impression on the cookie. Or you can use the pastry tool that I used which can be seen in the photo below. I bought it at a kitchen store.
- To prevent the dough from sticking in the cookie-cutter, wet it every so often. This will make life easier.
- Dry at 145 degrees (F) for 1 hour, then reduce to 115 degrees (F) for 12-14 hours. During this time, make the sour cherry jam.
Jam:
- Soak the dried cherries in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes.
- Place the cherries, half of the soak water, chia seeds, and honey into the food processor, and process until the cherries are broken down.
- I tried doing this step in my blender, I don’t recommend that, there isn’t enough volume to spin it around.
- Pour the jam into a zip-lock bag and set it in the fridge till you are ready to pipe it on the shortbread.
- After the shortbread has dried for about 14 hours, remove the jam Zip-lock bag from the fridge.
- Snip the lower corner off of the bag so you can use it as a piping bag.
- Pipe the jam onto half of the shortbreads, the other half will be for the top.
- Slide the tray back into the dehydrator and continue drying for about 12 more hours.
- Remove and place the top cookie on the jam, making a sandwich. Now pierce the top cookie with a fork to give it that shortbread trademark.
- Allow to cool and enjoy! These will last approx. 14 days, even longer in the freezer. Keep in a sealed container in a single layer.
© AmieSue.com
Tags: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Soy Free, sugar free, Vegan
Amy Sue, I love the extra attention to detail that you give. These cookies look exquisite. I wish I were on the receiving end of that box of goodness :) Can’t wait to see what you post next! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Tiffany, you made my day. hugs, amie sue
Hi..Bashya AGAIN. Just made this dough and it is yummy and awaiting its turn in the dehydrator. For how much time do they dehydrate? In one spot it says 4 hours and a bit further down it says 14 hours. Thanks!
Bashya, I don’t see that one area say 4 and other says 14 hrs… which numbers in the prep list do you see that… I might be starring right past it.
Ok…I see what happened. There are 2 postings for the same recipe. The posting with the picture of a tea cup has a different direction #5 to this one…says 4 hours. I have that one printed. They are currently in the dehydrator with the yummy jam on top. Very excited…though going to serve as open face cookies as I have to serve a crowd.
On another note: My chocolate cake pop came out a bit dry and was thinking of a way to moisten the inside. Thought maybe to inject some ganache, or even a bit of brandy (my crowd is not raw). What do you think?
Thanks,
Bashya
HI Bashya, ok that makes sense them. :) As far as you cake pops, sure you could try injecting them with a liquid. IF you use ganache, you might want to thin it down some. Let me know if you try it. Have a blessed day, amie sue
Hi Amie-Sue,
Just wanted to let you know that I threw a swell raw food dessert party. Of the 10 desserts I served, 6 of them were from your website. It was a roaring success, particularly the key lime pie.
Thanks,
Bashya
OH WOW Bashya! I am so thrilled that you shared this. How exciting!! That key lime pie is ALWAYS a hit. :) Have a wonderful week! amie sue
Hi Amie-Sue,
Could you tell me the size of your shortbread cookies.
I would like to buy a cookie cutter that size.
I love your website…I have changed to a vegan diet due to health problems… your recipes help me alot…Thank-you :)
Hope you having a great day :)
Thank you, Trish. I am so glad that you are enjoying the site. I do too! hehe I am sorry to hear that you are struggling with some health issues. Eating a clean, whole food diet and a great step in the right direction. Now, regarding the cookie cutter that I used… it appears that the one I used has been discontinued. I looked on the web and couldn’t find it. But I realized that the following cutters will work perfectly. https://nouveauraw.com/equipment/pans-forms-molds/fat-daddios-7-piece-oval-nylon-cutter-set/.
I used those on another cookie found on the site. You can make them any size you want with this set. I hope this is helpful. Have a blessed weekend, amie sue! :)
Hi again Amie-Sue,
Just wondering what the roller was that you have used to make the straight lines on the shortbread cookies?
Can you still buy them?
Hope your having a great day :)
Your sincerely Trish
Good morning Trish,
Sorry that I didn’t get to your question last night. I had already slipped into bed for the day. :)
I picked that roller up at a restaurant store in Portland but I am sure one can be found fairly easy. Look in the baking section of any of your local stores. You can see it in one of the photos of how to make the cookies. I will list some links and options below too:
1. You can use a metal ruler, using the edge to create a line indention.
2. This pastry wheel will work because you can adjust the width of the wheels. I use this device a lot, especially when making crackers.
https://nouveauraw.com/equipment/utensils-gadgets/american-metalcraft-mwpc6x2-six-wheel-pastry-cutter/
3. You can even use a pizza cutter.
I hope this is helpful, blessings. amie sue
Hi Amie-Sue,
I was just wondering do these shortbread cookies have a greasy feel to them?
Have I done something wrong?
I have printed alot of your recipes and have them in a folder…so if I can’t get onto the net I have them right their oh so handy..I love them they make me smile :)
Hope your having a lovely day or a great night!
Yours Sincerely Trish Lee
Good morning Trish,
No, they shouldn’t feel greasy at all. To me, it sounds like maybe the dough got over worked and too much of the natural oils in the nuts were released. That’s the only thing that I can think of without knowing more info.
I am so thrilled that you are enjoying the recipes. Keep me posted on the ones that you try. :) Hae a wonderful day! amie sue
Hi Amie-Sue,
When I make the dough it seems to go greasy when I mix the maple syrup in, just don’t know what to do?
Yours Sincerely Trish
Is greasy the right word? Does it just feel too wet perhaps? Does it stick together and hold shape? Are you making your own almond and cashew flour or are you using store bought? Did you over process it in the food processor? Can you send me a photo of the dough to [email protected]?
I am trying to help, just hard when I can’t see it and don’t know exactly what you did. amie sue
Hi again Amie-Sue,
I’m using store bought fine white Almond flour.
I might have to make it out of the pulp like you?
Could this be one of my problems?
Yours sincerely Trish
I really don’t think so… be sure to answer my other questions too so I can help trouble shoot this.
Hi Amie-Sue,
The cookies feel greasy to me and my family.
I used store bought white almond flour.
I could have over process it.
I am sending you the photo’s of the cookies that I made from the dough.
I have one part of the cookie, can you see how it is shiney.
I hope this helps.
Yours sincerely Trish
Good morning Trish,
I got the photos and they sure look good. I do see a little shine to them but nothing major (from what I can see). If the feeling is truly greasy then you might have just simply over processed the nut flours upon mixing. Wipe them with a paper towel and enjoy. How is the flavor? Blessings, amie sue