Awesome Filled Cookies

Filled cookies are an old-school American treat, the kind that filled cookie jars in farmhouse kitchens long before fig newtons came along to take their lunchbox throne. The dough is a basic sugar cookie shortbread, rolled thin and cut into rounds, with a spoonful of raisin filling sandwiched in between.

The raisin filling is a separate prep that this recipe references but doesn’t include. Make it by simmering 1 cup of raisins with ½ cup sugar, ½ cup water, and 1 tablespoon flour until thick and jammy. Cool completely before filling. A warm filling will tear the delicate dough.

Chilling the dough is essential, not optional. The dough is high in fat and will be too soft to roll without a rest in the fridge. Wrap it tight and chill at least an hour, longer if your kitchen runs warm.

Sealing the edges with fork tines does double duty here. It keeps the filling from leaking during the bake and creates that signature crimped look that says homemade.

Don’t overbake. These should come out pale, just barely golden on the bottom edges. Overbaked cookies turn from tender to crumbly and the raisin filling can dry out.

Kitchen Tips

• Roll the dough between sheets of parchment to avoid adding extra flour that toughens the cookies.
• Cut filled cookies with a slightly smaller cutter for the top round to give a peek of filling at the edges.
• Brush tops with a beaten egg wash before baking for a glossy golden finish.
• Cool completely before stacking. Warm cookies stick together.

Variations

• Use date filling (chopped dates simmered with water and a pinch of cinnamon) instead of raisins.
• Try a mincemeat or apple-walnut filling for a fall version.
• Glaze cooled cookies with a thin lemon icing for a citrus accent.