Jammie Dodgers
© Denzil Green
Jammie Dodgers are a British cookie made by the Burtons company in Cwmbran, Gwent, Wales.
The cookie (aka biscuit in the UK) consists of two pale-coloured, crisp, shortcake biscuits, with a layer of raspberry-flavoured jam between them. There is a heart-shaped hole cut out in centre of top biscuit so that you can see the jam inside, and a design imprinted on the biscuit around this hole.
The jam is actually made from plums, and flavoured to be vaguely raspberry in taste.
The cookies are made in these varieties:
- Jammie Dodgers Original
- Jammie Dodgers Berrilicious
- Jammie Dodgers Jam ‘n Custard
- Jammie Dodgers Outrageous Orange
- Jammie Dodgers Minis Lunchpack Berrilicious
- Jammie Dodgers Minis Lunchpack Original
- Jammie Dodgers Minis Share Bag Original
- Jammie Dodgers Snack Bar (introduced 2008)
The Jam ‘n Custard variety has inside it a layer of white fondant, topped with the layer of raspberry-flavoured jam.
Burton’s occasionally produces Vanilla Thriller and Vimto versions as special releases for limited periods only. These look similar to regular Jammie Dodgers, though the design on biscuit is different. The Vimto one says “with Vimto” on it.
The Vimto version is based on a popular beverage cordial. In 1908, a chemist in Manchester named John Knowle created Vimtonic — a blackcurrant juice blended with grape and raspberry juices. The name was soon changed to Vimto. Vimto is now sold as a non-alcoholic cordial for mixing with water or soda water. The jam in these Jammie Dodgers is Vimto-flavoured instead of being raspberry-flavoured.
Vanilla Thriller Jammie Dodgers have vanilla cream in them.
Nutrition
By 2005, the recipe for Jammie Dodgers was reformulated to be lower in salt and to use palm oil instead of hydrogenated fats. Palm oil, however is quite high in saturated fat.
Some versions are completely vegan as of 2010; check package labels for the latest information.
Language Notes
It’s not quite certain who came up with the name of Jammie Dodgers, or how, though the “jam” part seems pretty clear.
Often mispelt as “Jammy” Dodgers.