Raspberry-Almond Shortbread Cookies

Back when I was in college and home on break, my mom and I went to Nonni's house to make raspberry jam. So far it's the only time I've made it but I really enjoyed it. My mom got the raspberries fresh from a friend of my parents who has raspberry trees on his property. Although that day had been my first time making jam, we had always had a jar in our fridge for years. I honestly can't remember when we started using homemade jam along with store bought jelly. I'm pretty sure Nonni has always had at least one jar of the stuff in her fridge. So I kept that in mind while I searched for a cookie that would allow me to also use up the bag of slivered almonds that sat in my pantry (when planning Christmas presents, Mom told me that almond is a flavor Nonni likes). While looking through my collection of magazines, I came across a recipe in one of the Better Homes & Gardens magazines for Raspberry-Almond Shortbread Cookies that I could easily alter to include the slivered almonds (which is as creative as I'm gonna get when baking).

Raspberry-Almond Shortbread Cookies (BHG 100 Best Cookies: 2012, pg. 40)

Ingredients*

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
• Coarse sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 teaspoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

*Because of how many cookies this recipe makes (36, according to the magazine), I halved the recipe. Also, I didn't use the course sugar or the last three ingredients (for icing) since I was decorating with slivered almonds (1 sliver per cookie)*

Directions

1. In a medium bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar and the almond extract. Beat until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in remaining flour (because I halved the recipe and was using my stand mixer, this wasn't necessary). Cover; chill 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using your thumb, press an indentation into the center of each ball (I honestly think I pressed down too far on some because one of the cookies leaked jelly as soon as I put it on the cooling rack, then fell apart as I picked it up to eat it. And for once, my thumb might've been too big to do this). Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the jam into each indentation. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (like I said, I placed an almond sliver in the center of each cookie). Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer to wire racks; cool.
3. Meanwhile, for icing (if you're making it), in a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of the water, and the 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract. Add enough of the remaining water to make drizzling consistency. Drizzle cookies with icing.

To store: layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days for freeze for up to 3 months.

When Nonni first opened the box, everyone gushed over how delicious they looked. I'm not sure anyone tried one though. A couple days later, though, she texted me saying that she took some of them with her to share with the ladies that she counts with at church and she said that everyone loved them. Including her. The one that I had was yummy. Messy since it was fresh out of the oven, but still yummy.