Raspberry Almond Cookies

I made these lovely short bread cookies last Christmas after most of my traditional cookies had mostly disappeared.

The holidays were not over and we needed a refill. I saw these on Foodgawker and thought they looked so pretty, and I am a huge fan of almond flavor. They became an instant hit and I promised my family to make them again. The red raspberry jam makes them look so festive and perfect for Christmas, but any jam would work any time of year. The dough needs to chill a few hours before filling and baking which makes it perfect for putting together the night before.

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups  all-purpose flour

1/2 cup  seedless raspberry jam

Glaze (optional):

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Preparation:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar, then vanilla and almond extracts. Scrape down the sides and bottom of mixing bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour to the butter mixture. Beat until incorporated completely and you have a soft dough. Press the dough together into a thick disc and cover in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls, placed about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Make an indentation with your thumb into each ball. Fill each with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of jam.

Bake in preheated oven 14-15 minutes, or until slightly browned on the edges. Ovens vary so keep an eye on them the last couple minutes. Do not over bake! Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Cool completely if you are glazing them.

To make the glaze:

In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients until smooth. Adjust with more liquid or powdered sugar to reach the consistency you want. Drizzle over cooled cookies using a spoon or a small piping bag. Glaze will set within an hour or so.

Makes about 26 cookies


Notes:
* If you make the dough the night before you may have to let it sit in room temperature for a while (approx. 20 minutes) before rolling into balls.

*My cookies are fairly big. In the future I may try to make them a little smaller and get more of them. Bake time will have to be adjusted.

* A dusting of powdered sugar also looks pretty on these.