Sunday, March 11, 2012

Baby Showers Begin Again

Last year, we had several babies born in our department...well, we have started again!  Virginia will be having sweet Marian this month (and there are three babies due in June...all girls!).  We had Virginia's shower last month and I pulled out my Southern Living cookie book to pick something shower worthy.  I knew there was a fun sandwich cookie in there and got some strawberry jam to make it.  I decided to make the dough for this, the night before I made the cookies. 
When I made it, I thought it looked a bit dry, but wasn't sure.  The next day when I got ready to roll it out, it was so dry that I just couldn't do it!  I had to make another batch.  Made it the exact same way, but it turned out completely differently.  Not sure what made the difference other than the second batch...the sun was out.  :-)  This was a fun cookie and I think the jam just made it!  This would be a fun one for valentine's day, too.  Or even an Easter tea using egg shaped cookie cutters.  Hope you try it and enjoy!

Strawberry Sandwich Cookies
6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup strawberry jam
powdered sugar

Beat butter in mixer until creamy.  Add brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla and blend.  Combine flour and salt, add to butter mixture and beat well.  Wrap in wax paper and chill for 1 hour. 

When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 350.  Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick and cut with the desired shape cutter.  In half of the cookies, using a smaller cookie cutter, cut a section of dough out of the center.  Place prepared cookies on a cookie sheet.  Place sheet to oven and bake for 5-6 minutes.  Cool on baking sheets for 3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack.

When cooled, spread the solid cookies with strawberry jam.  Dust cutout cookies with powdered sugar and place on top of jam.  Enjoy!

No comments: