Next, I dust my work surface with a bit of flour and drop the dough onto it. I like to divide my dough in half for easier handling. After rolling out one half to about 1/4 inch thick, I use a cookie cutter to cut lovely shapes. I place them on my lined baking sheets, making sure to leave a little space in between, as they spread just a tad while baking.
Now comes the fun part! I take a small spoon and make a little well in the center of each cookie. I carefully spoon raspberry jam into the wells — not too much, though, because it will spread as it bakes! I pop them into the oven and bake for about 12-15 minutes, watching until the edges are lightly golden. As they bake, the jam starts to bubble a bit, creating the most delightful scent that fills my home and makes everyone come running to the kitchen.
Once they’re done, I let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. If I’m feeling extra festive, I’ll dust them with powdered sugar before serving. They look so pretty and taste even better! The warm buttery cookie combined with the tart raspberry jam is truly a match made in holiday heaven.
Pro Tips for Best Results
One thing I discovered while testing this recipe is how important the butter temperature is. I generally make sure that the butter is at room temperature. If it’s too cold, the dough can become a bit crumbly, and that’s not what we want! I’ve also tried different types of jam, and while raspberry is my favorite, I found that strawberry or apricot work wonderfully too.
Another little secret I learned is to chill the dough for about 30 minutes before rolling it out. This makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies keep their shape during baking. I typically wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge while I clean up my kitchen after the mixing process.
Lastly, I always recommend baking a test cookie. It may seem a bit extra, but I like to bake one cookie first to gauge the time and temperature. Every oven is different, and I find that this ensures my cookie batch comes out perfectly every single time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When I first started making cookies, I made the mistake of not measuring my ingredients properly, especially the flour. A cup of flour can weigh significantly different depending on how it’s scooped. I ended up with dry dough once, and let me tell you, it wasn’t a pleasant experience! I’ve since learned to spoon and level my flour for consistent results. (See the next page below to continue…)