Tea with bread and jam, jam and bread
I've been a busy little elf, baking for Christmas, sewing for Christmas, writing lists for shopping and cooking and whatnot. So I've not been around all that much this week. Sorry.
This morning, I made dough for something my family calls "Sandtarts", but most people seem to call sugar cookies (the kind you roll out and decorate). And I made Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies, and boy are they good. They are perfect with tea, my beverage of choice. And they have an extra helping of love in them, since they include my Aunt Martha's yummy black raspberry jam in there. Part of what makes them so good is that they are basically a shortbread, with cream cheese in the dough.
And now, since I'm sure you're all salivating at the thought and wanting the recipe, and because otherwise, I've got nothing for you, here is the recipe:
Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies
Makes 4-1/2 to 5 dozen cookies
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
jelly or jam
Process first 4 ingredients until fluffy. Add flour. Put through press or make small drops on an ungreased cookie sheet; make thumbprint in each cookie. Fill with jelly. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit 12-15 minutes until lightly browned around edges.
My additional bits of info: This works best if the butter and cream cheese are at or near room temperature. Also, if you moisten your finger or thumb before making the dent in the cookie, you won't stick to the somewhat sticky dough. Finally, go light on the jelly/jam - it melts during the baking, and spreads around. And too much of it will heat up and bore through the bottom of the cookie, as it turns out. I've made these with apricot jam, strawberry jam, raspberry jam and now, black raspberry jam, and they are all yummy. My guess is that other jams and/or jellies would also totally rock. You'll have to let me know.
This morning, I made dough for something my family calls "Sandtarts", but most people seem to call sugar cookies (the kind you roll out and decorate). And I made Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies, and boy are they good. They are perfect with tea, my beverage of choice. And they have an extra helping of love in them, since they include my Aunt Martha's yummy black raspberry jam in there. Part of what makes them so good is that they are basically a shortbread, with cream cheese in the dough.
And now, since I'm sure you're all salivating at the thought and wanting the recipe, and because otherwise, I've got nothing for you, here is the recipe:
Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies
Makes 4-1/2 to 5 dozen cookies
8 oz. cream cheese
1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
jelly or jam
Process first 4 ingredients until fluffy. Add flour. Put through press or make small drops on an ungreased cookie sheet; make thumbprint in each cookie. Fill with jelly. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit 12-15 minutes until lightly browned around edges.
My additional bits of info: This works best if the butter and cream cheese are at or near room temperature. Also, if you moisten your finger or thumb before making the dent in the cookie, you won't stick to the somewhat sticky dough. Finally, go light on the jelly/jam - it melts during the baking, and spreads around. And too much of it will heat up and bore through the bottom of the cookie, as it turns out. I've made these with apricot jam, strawberry jam, raspberry jam and now, black raspberry jam, and they are all yummy. My guess is that other jams and/or jellies would also totally rock. You'll have to let me know.