Baking has Begun

I love to bake.  Especially at Christmas time.  I have a lot of favorite recipes that I make year after year and only at Christmas.  This afternoon I'm going to a Cookie Exchange at a friend's house.  I decided to try a new recipe for Jam Thumbprints and I'm pretty happy I did.  The recipe is easy enough and the cookies are yummy.  I don't know why I've never made them before!

Thought I'd share the recipe:

2/3 c. sugar
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 t. almond extract
1/2 t. vanilla extract
2 c. plus 2 T. flour
1/2 c. raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350. 

Combine the butter, sugar and extracts with an electric mixer and beat at medium speed until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the flour a cup at a time.  Continue beating until well mixed. You want the dough to be a little on the moist side.

Take a heaping teaspoon scoop of dough and roll it into a smooth ball.  Place the balls 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  With your thumb, make an indentation in the center (I used the end of a wooden spoon... I know, I know, they ARE called Jam THUMBPRINTS, but my thumb just wasn't cutting it) and fill each indentation with about 1/4 teaspoon jam.

Bake for 15 minutes until light brown around the bottom edges but pale on top.  Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

I sprinkled sparkling sugar on top to make them a little more festive.

Now, if I can just manage to get my tree up and decorated this weekend...