Jam Filled Cookies

Jam Filled Cookies

3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup good raspberry preservesconfectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/4" thick and cut with 2-3/4" rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. With 1/2 of the rounds, cut a hole from the middle of each round with a heart or spade shaped (or round if that is all you have) cutter. Place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.

Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. Spread raspberry preserves on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with confectioners' sugar and press the flat sides together, with the raspberry preserves in the middle and the confectioners' sugar on top.