Empire Cookies are buttery shortbread cookie sandwiches filled with raspberry jam and topped with a simple buttercream frosting. Delicious cookies that are both pretty and delicious!
I had never even heard of Empire Cookies until recently, but now that I’ve tried them, I’m hooked! I think they are common in England and Scotland, which explains why many Americans are missing out on knowing about these little treats.
What are Empire Cookies?
Empire Cookies are easy to make, but they are so fancy looking too! First, you need to make a simple shortbread cookie dough. Chill for an hour before rolling it out and cutting small circular cookies. Once the cookies are baked and cooled, top half of the cookies with raspberry jam before topping them off with the other half of the cookies. Pipe a bit of homemade buttercream icing on top of each cookie sandwich, and then serve!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST COOKIES:
After trying out multiple cookie recipes over many years, I have picked up several important tips for making the absolute BEST Empire Cookies!
- Make sure that you have enough flour in the dough. If the dough is too sticky, you may need to add a little bit of flour.
- Spend a little extra time when you mix the butter and sugar. Creaming them together for 2-3 minutes will improve the consistency of your cookies.
- Preheat the oven. This will help your cookies turn out right every time!
- Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Doing this will make it really easy to remove the cookies from your cookie sheet so that you don’t have to scrape them off the pan – they will just slide right off in perfect shape!
- Don’t over bake the cookies – when I take mine out of the oven, they still look slightly under baked but they will continue to bake on the cookie sheet for a couple more minutes so that’s ok!
Ingredients in Empire Biscuit Cookies
Flour – All-purpose flour works best. A gluten-free substitute works well too!
Baking powder – This is the leavening agent in the cookies. For best results, make sure the baking powder isn’t old or expired.
Butter – Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before adding to the other ingredients. For best results, use real butter.
Sugar – You can’t make cookies without sugar!
Egg – One egg will help to bind all of the other ingredients together. Beat the egg with a fork before adding to the other ingredients.
Almond extract – Just 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract adds a lot of flavor! If you have almond allergies, you can leave this out or swap it with vanilla extract.
Frosting Ingredients
Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar will make the buttercream frosting sweet and smooth.
Butter – Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before mixing with the other frosting ingredients.
Milk – Just a little bit of milk will thin out the frosting to get the perfect consistency for piping.
Almond extract – A little bit of almond extract really adds amazing flavor to the frosting. Again, you can swap this out with vanilla if you’d like.
Jam – The cookie sandwiches are filled with raspberry jam. You want the jam layer to be thick enough to taste, but not so thick that it oozes out and makes a huge mess! You can use a different flavor of jam if you prefer.
Sprinkles – Sprinkles are totally optional, but they are fun to sprinkle on top of the frosting.
Essential Tips for Making Empire Cookies
Full instructions in the recipe card below, but here are just a few tips for the baking process!
- Chill the dough before rolling: Refrigerating the dough for at least an hour makes it easier to roll out and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Don’t overbake the cookies: Empire cookies should stay light in color with only the bottoms turning barely golden to keep their soft, tender texture.
- Roll the dough evenly: Aim for a consistent ¼-inch thickness so all of the small cookies bake evenly and sandwich together neatly.
- Let cookies cool completely before assembling: Warm cookies can cause the jam and frosting to melt, so wait until they’re fully cooled before filling and decorating.
How to store Empire Cookies
Empire Cookies can be kept at room temperature for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. You can freeze the cookies for about 3-4 months. I usually freeze the cookies before adding the jam and the frosting and add those to the thawed cookies just before assembling them and serving.
Can I make Empire Cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes! The dough can be made ahead and stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it becomes too firm to roll.
What type of jam is best for Empire Cookies?
Raspberry jam is the traditional choice because its sweet-tart flavor pairs perfectly with the buttery almond cookies, but strawberry or apricot jam also work well.
Why do my Empire Cookies spread while baking?
Cookies may spread if the dough is too warm or wasn’t chilled long enough. Make sure the dough is fully chilled before rolling, cutting, and baking.
Can I use a different size cookie cutter?
Yes, but baking time may need to be adjusted. Smaller cookies will bake faster, while larger cookies may need an extra minute or two.
How do you soften butter?
I like to soften butter by using the defrost function on my microwave. If you need the full 1/2 cup cube of butter, you can leave it in the paper wrapper, otherwise, place the amount of butter you need in a glass or porcelain bowl. I use the lowest defrost setting on my microwave and just let it run for 20 seconds. Check the butter and see how soft it is by pressing it with a rubber scraper. If it is still not soft to the touch, meaning it doesn’t indent when you press into it, let it warm for another 5-10 seconds. Watch it closely! Butter softens very quickly.
MORE DELICIOUS COOKIE RECIPES TO TRY:
- Made with strawberry cake mix, Cool Whip, and an egg, these Strawberry Cool Whip Cookies are a light and easy cookie recipe with a soft texture and delicious strawberry flavor.
- These Blackberry Cookies are soft, chewy, and bursting with fresh blackberry flavor with a hint of lemon. They’re a simple fruit-filled cookie everyone will love.
- Packed with peanut butter flavor and Reese’s Pieces, these Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies are soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet in every bite.
- Our Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are incredibly soft and tender thanks to the cream cheese in the dough. They’re thick, bakery-style cookies that hold their shape beautifully when cut out.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest give these Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies a bright citrus flavor, while the simple piped frosting rosette makes them as pretty as they are delicious.
- These All Butter Sugar Cookies are soft, sweet, and made with simple pantry ingredients. Finished with a rich vanilla buttercream frosting, they’re a classic cookie everyone enjoys.
Empire Cookies are buttery shortbread cookie sandwiches filled with raspberry jam and topped with a simple buttercream frosting. Delicious cookies that are both pretty and delicious!
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