Ready for Valentine's Day?
Here is a simple Jam-filled Butter cookie that is easy to make.
They look beautiful and taste delicious!
Sweetheart Cookies
Ingredients
Butter Cookie Dough:
1 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt ( omit if using salted butter)
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 drops orange oil
2 cups+ 2 Tblsp all purpose flour
1/3 cup finely ground almonds ( or almond flour )
2 Tbsp confectioners sugar
With an electric mixer, cream butter with granulated and brown sugar. Beat in egg.
Add vanilla and orange oil. Gradually mix in flour.
Mix ground almonds with confectioners sugar. Add to dough.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill well for easier handling.
If when rolling or cutting with cookie the dough becomes too soft, simply chill for about 10 minutes.
Filling:
1/3 cup seedless strawberry spread
1 tsp Grand Marnier (opt)
When ready to roll out, divide dough into 4 pieces.
Place between sheets of wax paper and roll very thin, about 1/8".
Remove the top sheet of wax paper.
Using a 3" heart shaped cookie cutter, cut heart shaped cookies.
For every other heart, cut the center with a 1" heart shaped cutter, creating a "window" for the jam filling.
Flip over onto parchment paper and peel the wax paper from the dough.
Arrange the hearts on the parchment paper. Place on cookie sheet.
Gather scraps, wrap in plastic, chill and repeat process until all the dough is used.
Chill the cookies and the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before baking.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-9 minutes just until the edges of the cookies become a golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack and cool completely.
Place the Window cookies on a rack and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.
Drop a spoonful of jam onto the center of the solid heart cookies.
Using a spatula, spread the jam towards the edges of cookie,
leaving a generous amount in the center.
Top with the "window" cookie, as shown below to make
a jam filled cookie.
Place on a pretty serving dish for a beautiful Valentine's display.
Serve, with a kiss, to your favorite person in the world.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Makes about 2 dozen 3" heart shaped cookies.
Tutorial and photography by Jacque Benson
2011 All Rights Reserved
This material may not be republished or reproduced in any manner without the expressed permission of the author.
