Filled Sugar Cookies

These are the kind of cookies your grandmother might have pulled from a cookie tin at the holidays. Two thin, tender sugar cookie rounds with a hint of almond extract sandwich a thick, jammy filling of cooked raisins, sugar, and chopped nuts.

The filling gets cooked on the stovetop until it thickens into a sticky, spreadable paste. Cooling it completely before assembling is a must, otherwise it melts through the delicate dough. Spread it almost to the edges of the bottom cookie, press the top circle on, and seal with a fork.

The dough chills for at least two hours, which firms up the butter and makes rolling to ⅛ inch thickness much easier. Don’t skip this. Warm dough sticks to everything and tears when you try to lift the cut circles.

Pro Tips

• Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to prevent sticking without adding excess flour, which toughens the cookies.
• Use a doughnut cutter with the center piece for the bottom circles (solid) and without it for the tops (with a peek-a-boo hole showing the filling).
• Press the fork tines firmly around the edges to seal. Any gaps will let the filling bubble out during baking.
• These keep well in an airtight container for up to a week. The filling actually improves as it softens into the cookie.

Variations

• Use chopped dates or figs instead of raisins for the filling.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the filling mixture for a spiced version.
• Skip the sugar sprinkle and drizzle cooled cookies with a thin powdered sugar glaze instead.