Love is in the air with these accessible Jammy Dodgers or Linzer cookies that are plant based, gluten free and refined sugar free with a homemade berry jam or chocolate ganache filling; mix and match to your preference. A delicious vanilla shortbread biscuit with a love heart shape centre and jam or chocolate filled for flavour.

Show your loved ones that you care and want to treat them regardless of their dietary limitations with these quick and easy Jammy Dodgers (with an option for the chocolate lovers too).

 

What ingredients do I need to make these Jammy Dodgers?

You need just FIVE ingredients for the Shortbread Biscuits:

Vegan unsalted butter: this should be cold and cubed when added to your bowl. It must be a plant based block butter alternative such as Flora Plant or Violife VioBlock.
Powdered coconut sugar: coconut sugar is a refined sugar free sweetener that gives these a caramelised sweetness. Powdered coconut sugar helps the crumb of the biscuits be much finer so I really recommend using this.
Vanilla extract: for a delicate aroma
GF 1:1 all purpose flour: I always recommend Schar Universal Mix and recipes are tested with this – you can get it in most UK supermarkets easily. If elsewhere always use a flour that’s recommended and you know and trust. This must be with a gluten free all purpose flour, not simple almond flour or all oat flour.
Oat flour: these are rolled oats that are blended into a fine flour (you can do this yourself with a high speed blender or purchase it in stores). Use gluten free oats to ensure that this is gluten free certified.

For the Berry Jam Filling:

Raspberries and strawberries: for the traditional jammy dodger berry jam flavour. You can use frozen fruit for ease, if fresh ensure the tops are chopped off the strawberries. If frozen you’ll have to simmer a little longer to defrost
Powdered coconut sugar: for refined sugar free sweetness.
Cornflour: to thicken the jam.
Maple syrup: just a touch of this to balance the sweetness flavour profile as just coconut sugar alone wasn’t as good!
Lemon juice: this is just a tiny splash that can be optional or to taste – particularly if it’s too sweet to your liking or the berries aren’t very sweet (all berries can vary in sweetness)

For the Chocolate Ganache Filling:

Dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate: this must be dairy free and to keep it refined sugar free ensure you select a brand with no refined sugar.
Plant based milk: of your choice. For this to be low FODMAP you must use rice milk or almond milk. Ensure your milk is gluten free certified. I love to use oat milk but check that it’s gluten free certified if using.

A complete list of ingredients, quantities and instructions are in the grey recipe card at the bottom of the page

 

Are these Jammy Dodgers free from dairy, egg, gluten free, refined sugar free, nut free, seed free, soy free and vegan?

Yes, this recipe is incredibly accessible is free from all of these things, just ensure that your oat flour is created using gluten free oats. Ensure your plant based butter alternative is also suitable.

Do I need to wait for the dough to chill?

I designed this recipe so that there is no need to let the dough chill for this recipe, so it’s wonderfully simple and quick to make without waiting around!

Are these accessible Jammy Dodgers low FODMAP?

Schar Universal GF 1:1 flour is low FODMAP certified. Ensure that the oats used in oat flour are gluten free. Coconut sugar is low FODMAP up to 4g per serve, this only has 32g total and per Jammy Dodger it’s 2.6g. Chocolate is low FODMAP up to 30g per serve, so eating a few biscuits will be suitable according to the Monash University app. Strawberries are low FODMAP up to 65g. Raspberries are low FODMAP up to ⅓ cup or 58g per serve. As long as eating just two biscuits per serve these should be appropriate.

How to make the shortbread for these Jammy Dodgers?

To make the biscuits, in a large mixing bowl add the plant based butter and powdered coconut sugar and beat together until smooth and the mixture becomes ever so slightly lighter in colour (a few minutes). Pour in the vanilla extract and mix. Then add in the gluten free 1:1 all purpose flour and oat flour and mix together until a dough forms.

Lightly flour your worktop and roll out into a slab 2-3mm thick. Use a 4 cm cookie cutter to cut out 26 biscuits and transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. You may need to use the scraps and re-roll to cut all biscuits. Use a 1cm heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the centre of 13 of the biscuits (these will be the tops). Bake at 160C (fan) for 9-11 minutes but check them after 7 minutes to ensure they’re not beginning to golden at the edges, you want to catch them just before, but when the bases are cooked through.

How to make the fillings?

Make your jam and/or chocolate ganache when the biscuits are baking or when they’re cooling.

For the berry jam, in a small saucepan, add the raspberries and strawberries and bring to a medium-high heat, stirring regularly as the fruit softens for 5 minutes. Transfer to a separate bowl or jug by straining through a sieve and leaving the pulp. Discard the pulp and rinse the saucepan, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan and add the coconut sugar and maple syrup (as listed or more to taste), then add a dash (½ tsp) lemon juice if it needs a little tartness. Before bringing back to the heat, add the cornflour and whisk briskly until well combined, then heat again to thicken for around 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for use in the biscuits.

For the chocolate ganache, in a small saucepan add the chocolate chips and plant based milk. Heat on a very low heat, stirring regularly until a glossy ganache forms.

How to store these healthy Jammy Dodgers:

These are best enjoyed immediately or 4-6 hours (for optimum texture) after being sandwiched together. The next day they begin to significantly soften due to the moisture from the fillings seeping into the biscuits. If you’d like to enjoy these the next day or day after that, then I recommend storing the un-sandwiched biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature until you’re ready to enjoy them. They should keep (un)sandwiched for 2-5 days depending on the humidity of your area. Only make your fillings just before ready to sandwich together if possible as they’ll solidify further.

I’d love some more love themed or Valentines recipes! What can I make?

How about starting the day with this Raspberry Swirl Smoothie Bowl or Strawberries and Cream Chia Pudding. Make them an accessible main meal with these Vegan ‘Ricotta’ Spinach Stuffed Shells or treat them to dessert with these Blueberry and Lemon Thumbprint Cookies, shaped with two thumbprints into a heart – or Berry Crumble Bars for any crumble lovers out there!

I’d love to know what you think of the recipe if you make it – please let me know in the comments below or reach out to me

With love, 

Katya x