Description
Sugar Plum Cookies are soft and chewy holiday treats filled with fragrant homemade plum jam infused with warm spices. The dough, made with olive oil, keeps the cookies tender and adds a subtle earthy note. After baking, the cookies are dipped in a colorful syrup and rolled in sugar for a festive finish, perfect for Christmas and holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Plum Jam
- 2 cups plums (pitted and cut into cubes)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (or neutral oil)
- 3 tablespoons milk (whole milk or your preferred milk)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour (360g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Syrup and Decoration
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 inch rosemary sprig
- blue food coloring (as needed)
- purple food coloring (as needed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for coating)
- Sugared rosemary sprigs (for decorating)
Instructions
- Make the Plum Jam: In a saucepan, combine the plums, 1 cup of granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the plums break down and the mixture thickens into a jam-like consistency, about 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods and let the jam cool.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup sugar and sea salt. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in olive oil, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder, then gradually add to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined into a soft dough.
- Shape and Fill the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut into circles or desired shapes. Place a spoonful of cooled plum jam in the center of half the cutouts, then top with the remaining cutouts, pressing edges to seal.
- Bake the Cookies: Arrange the filled cookies on the baking sheets and bake for 12-15 minutes, until they are lightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool on wire racks.
- Prepare the Colored Syrup: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup sugar, 2 cups water, vanilla extract, and rosemary sprig. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and strain out rosemary. Divide syrup into two bowls and add blue food coloring to one and purple food coloring to the other, mixing well.
- Dip and Coat the Cookies: While the cookies are still slightly warm, dip each into the colored syrup, then immediately roll in ½ cup granulated sugar to coat. Place on wire racks to dry slightly.
- Decorate and Serve: Garnish with sugared rosemary sprigs on top for a festive touch. Allow cookies to fully cool and syrup to set before serving. Store in an airtight container to keep cookies soft for days.
Notes
- Using olive oil in the dough keeps the cookies soft and adds subtle earthiness; substitute with a neutral oil if preferred.
- The warm spices in the plum jam infuse flavor without heat, perfect for a cozy holiday treat.
- Dipping cookies in colored syrup followed by sugar coating creates a festive, glossy finish and helps maintain softness.
- Sugared rosemary sprigs add a beautiful and aromatic decoration for holiday presentation.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them tender and flavorful for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 177 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 67 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.001 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 14 mg
