Raspberry Ribbons

12 Days of (Christmas) Cookies

Day 3

Raspberry Ribbons

When I was in college, I would frequent a little bakery down the road and rotate ordering between a bagel and 2 raspberry ribbons for breakfast with my cup of coffee. Unfortunately, that bakery in Florida is a long way from my home in Pennsylvania but I don't have to miss the taste of them with this recipe! Your guests will be impressed when you show up with these little delights but we won't tell them how incredibly simple they really are to make!

Ingredients:
Yields approximately 36 cookies

Adapted from food.com

• 2 c butter, room temperature
• 1 c white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c raspberry preserves

Glaze

• 2 c confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 c evaporated milk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, until well mixed.
• Divide the dough into four equal portions. Shape each portion into a log that is 10 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide and about 3/4 inches deep.
• Make a 1/4-inch depression down the center of each log. Be sure not to press down too far or cookies will break in half when picked up. Err on the side of caution with how deep you make the depression. You can always make it deeper later if need be.
• Place the logs onto foiled baking sheets 4 inches apart.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Now is when you can make the depressions slightly deeper if needed.
• Fill the depressions with jam. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until lightly browned (13.5 minutes in my oven).
• Cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheets. Carefully transfer to a cooling rack with the aid of a spatula.
• Cut each log into 3/4-inch slices.
• Make the glaze. In a small bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, evaporated milk and vanilla, stir until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.
• Cool completely. If you do not allow them to completely cool, they will break in half when picked up.
• Enjoy!