Welcome to the 12 Cookies of Christmas. The first cookie recipe was from my 7th grade home economics class. My teacher's name was Miss Clifford and she not only taught us to cook but how to sew. (Am I dating myself?) When she was teaching cooking, she always gave us great recipes for cookies and breads. The key was simplicity.
This is one of my favorite and most requested cookie recipes. The combination of butter and brown sugar make them a golden shortbread. I usually try to find a combination or mixed jam to put on these cookies making them great for adult tastes. The two you see photographed are filled with Raspberry Pomegranate and Peach Apricot jams. I usually find them in the food section of TJ MAXX or Marshalls. A great place to find unique products, cheap!
Ingredients
1 cup of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups of flour
1/4 tsp salt
Assorted Jams (raspberry, strawberry, apricot...your choice)
Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the flour and salt and mix well. Roll into balls (a well rounded tablespoon full of dough) and place a thumbprint in the center of the ball. Place a teaspoon of jam in the thumbprint. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until dry and the edges are slightly golden. These are delicate cookies and will break easily. Use caution when packing them. This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.
I freeze these cookies on paper plates in layers of parchment paper. They will then slide into a gallon sized freezer bag. They will keep for 6-8 weeks.
And for those who like nuts, add 1/2 cup of finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) after the dough is well blended. Roll into balls as suggested above.
