Almond Spritz Cookies with Raspberry Jam

I am CRAZY about Christmas. It's my favourite time of year and I think about it all year long. Maybe I'm just CRAZY then.

Every year people look forward to eating the treats that come out of my kitchen. I actually booked two vacation days off work around Christmas (when the kids will be in daycare) to do my baking without any little munchkins under my feet.

Spritz cookies are one my favourites to make. These cookies have become a part of my Christmas cookie platters every year. They're simple and delicious plus they look so pretty! You can make them so many ways, using different extracts and fillings, you can come up with a bunch of different flavour combinations! But who doesn't love almonds and raspberry jam?!

Almond Spritz Cookies with Raspberry Jam

Adapted from Joy Of Baking

Makes 28 Cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon each vanilla and almond extracts
• 1 1/8 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• raspberry jam
• 28 almond slices or slivers
• 4 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Cream butter and sugar for about 2 minutes on medium speed until it starts to get fluffy. Add egg and extracts. Keep whipping until fluffy, about another 2 minutes. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt with a wooden spoon until well combined.
3. You could probably drop these by the spoon full onto prepared baking sheets but I'm having fun with my spritz gun. Fill up your gun with dough. If you find it difficult to work with, chill it for about 20 minutes first.
4. Place the gun on the baking sheet (or slightly above, get to know yours) and press the handle twice. The dough should just touch the baking sheet but not be squished onto it. You should get a nice cookie.
5. Use the end of a wooden spoon dipped in sugar and press a dent in the middle of the cookies. Put a little drop of jam in the middle of each cookie and a sliver of almond.
6. Bake for 6-8 minutes on parchment lined baking sheets just until the edges turn golden. Remove and cool completely on wire racks.
7. In the meantime, mix icing sugar with milk (add colouring at this point if you like). Drizzle over cooled cookies. The drizzle will harden after a few minutes so you can stack the cookies. Store for up to a week in an airtight container. They also freeze well.

Tips:

• The original recipe didn't call for baking soda but I added it anyway. I also cut the recipe in half ... sort of.
• You can use any flavour of jam or extract you like. Or how about your spices? Cinnamon yum! Add nutmeg too for an eggnog flavour. You could add a chocolate drizzle. Very festive! Get creative!