Jelly Stick Cookies (Bakery Style Almond Sandwich Recipe)

Jelly Stick Cookies (Bakery Style Almond Sandwich Recipe)

If you have ever walked into an old-school Italian bakery and stared at the case of cookies by the pound, you know exactly what these are. They are tender, buttery, slightly crumbly, and packed with that distinct, luxurious almond flavor.

On my 2018 Cookie Map, these held the under the name Jelly Sticks. They are essentially a piped butter cookie (similar to a Spritz) but upgraded with real almond paste and sandwiched together with sweet raspberry preserves. To finish them off, we dip the ends in dark chocolate and holiday sprinkles.

They look intimidating because they are piped, but once you get the rhythm down, they are incredibly satisfying to make. They are the “fancy” cookie that will make your Christmas cookie box look professional.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Real Almond Paste: We aren’t just using extract here. Real almond paste gives these cookies a chewy, dense texture and a depth of flavor you can’t fake.

• The Perfect Texture: The combination of butter (for flavor) and shortening (for structure) creates a cookie that melts in your mouth but holds those beautiful piped ridges.

• Customizable: While I make “sticks” or fingers, you can pipe stars, rosettes, or rounds.

• Impressive Finish: The chocolate dip hides any imperfections and adds a necessary snap to the soft cookie.

Ingredients Breakdown

• Butter & Shortening: You need both. Butter provides the flavor, while shortening (Crisco) ensures the dough is sturdy enough to be piped and holds its shape in the oven. Important: You must weigh these ingredients for accuracy.

• Almond Paste: Make sure you buy Almond Paste, not Marzipan (which has more sugar). This is the star of the show. Weigh this out to exactly 3 oz.

• Egg Whites: We use only the whites to keep the dough light and airy. Save the yolks for a custard or curd!

• Confectioners’ Sugar: Powdered sugar dissolves instantly into the fats, creating a tender, melt-away crumb rather than a crunchy one.

• Flour: Standard all-purpose flour provides the structure.

• Extracts: I double down with both almond and vanilla extracts to round out the flavor.

• The Filling & Dip: Seedless raspberry jelly is classic, but apricot is delicious too. You’ll also need melting chocolate and “jimmies” (sprinkles).

Equipment Note: The Piping Tip

To get those signature ridges, you need a large open star tip.

• Ateco 829: This is my preferred tip. It’s large and creates deep, defined ridges.

• Wilton 1M: This is a good alternative if you can’t find the Ateco, though the ridges will be slightly different.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Cream the Fats and Sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened butter, shortening, and confectioners’ sugar. Beat this on medium-high speed for about 4 minutes. You want it really fluffy and pale. This aeration makes the dough pipeable.

Step 2: Add Flavors

Break the almond paste into small pieces and add it to the mixer along with the egg whites, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and well combined. Make sure there are no large lumps of almond paste.

Step 3: Mix in Flour

Turn the mixer to low speed. Add the flour and salt. Mix just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix! Overmixing develops gluten, which will make the cookies tough and hard to pipe.

Step 4: Pipe the Logs

Fit your pastry bag with the star tip (Ateco 829 recommended) and fill it with dough. Pipe 2-inch long “fingers” onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart. Try to keep consistent pressure so they are all the same width.

Note: If you prefer, you can pipe stars or rosettes with a cherry in the middle instead of making sandwiches.

Step 5: Bake

Bake for 10–14 minutes. Watch them closely! You only want the bottoms and edges to just begin turning golden brown. The tops should remain pale. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely on wire racks. They will be fragile while warm.

Step 6: Assemble and Dip

Once cool, pair up cookies of similar size. Spread a thin layer of seedless raspberry preserves on the flat side of one cookie and press another cookie on top to create a sandwich.

Melt your chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler. Dip one end of the sandwich into the chocolate, then immediately sprinkle with festive jimmies. Place on wax paper to set.

Expert Tips & Troubleshooting

• Dough too hard to pipe? Your kitchen might be too cold, or you didn’t cream the butter/shortening enough. The fats need to be soft. If it’s impossible, wrap the piping bag in a warm towel for a minute to soften the fats slightly.

• Weigh Your Ingredients: I cannot stress this enough. 7 oz of butter is exact; “almost a cup” is not. Baking with almond paste requires precision.

• Don’t Overfill: When sandwiching, use just enough jelly to stick them together. Too much will ooze out when you take a bite.

• Make-Ahead: These cookies actually taste better the next day! The moisture from the jelly softens the cookie slightly, melding the flavors together—just like in a bakery.

Variations

• The “Star”: Instead of logs, pipe a single star rosette. Press a candied cherry or a nut into the center before baking. No sandwiching required!

• Chocolate Filling: Swap the raspberry jam for Nutella or chocolate ganache for a chocolate-lover’s version.

• Citrus: Use lemon curd filling and dip in white chocolate for a spring version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use all butter instead of shortening? I don’t recommend it. Shortening has a higher melting point than butter. If you use all butter, the cookies will likely spread too much in the oven and lose those beautiful piped ridges.

Where can I find almond paste? It is usually in the baking aisle near the pie fillings or baking chocolate. Remember, do not buy Marzipan; it has a different sugar content and will throw off the recipe.

Conclusion

These Jelly Sticks are a standout on my 2018 Cookie Map for a reason. They bring a level of elegance and flavor that you just can’t get from a standard sugar cookie. Whether you call them Butter Logs, Sandwich Cookies, or Jelly Sticks, they are destined to become a holiday tradition in your home too.

Next up on the list? We are tackling the classic White Chocolate Dipped Ginger Snaps!

Jelly Stick Cookies (Almond Sandwich Cookies)

Italian bakery-style almond paste cookies piped into logs, filled with raspberry jam, and dipped in chocolate.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

• 3 1/3 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 7 oz Butter room temp (must weigh)
• 7 oz Shortening Crisco, room temp (must weigh)
• 1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
• 4 Egg Whites
• 3 oz Almond Paste must weigh
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 tsp Almond Extract
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Seedless Raspberry Jelly for filling
• 1 cup Melting Chocolate dark or semi-sweet
• Sprinkles Jimmies

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
• Cream butter, shortening, and sugar until very fluffy (4 mins).
• Add egg whites, almond paste (broken up), and extracts. Beat until smooth.
• Stir in flour and salt on low speed just until blended. Do not overmix.
• Pipe 2-inch logs onto baking sheets using a large star tip (Ateco 829).
• Bake 10-14 mins until edges are golden. Cool completely.
• Sandwich two cookies with jelly.
• Dip one end in melted chocolate and add sprinkles. Let set.