Fruit-Filled Cookies

These old-fashioned sandwich cookies pair a soft, cakey sour cream dough with a thick, jammy filling made from ground dates and raisins cooked down with water. They’re the kind of cookie your grandmother kept in a tin on the counter.

The sour cream in the dough keeps these incredibly tender while the lard-and-butter shortening blend gives them richness without being greasy. A touch of nutmeg in the flour adds a warm, spicy note that complements the sweet dried fruit filling.

Chilling the dough overnight is not optional. This is a soft, sticky dough that needs to firm up completely before you can roll and cut it. Skip the chill and you’ll be scraping dough off the counter instead of cutting clean rounds.

Chef Tips

• Seal the edges of each cookie pair well by pressing with a fork. Any gaps and the filling will bubble out during baking.
• Cook the date-raisin filling until thick and stir constantly. It scorches fast on the bottom once it thickens.
• Roll the dough on a well-floured surface to prevent sticking. Work quickly before it warms up and softens.
• These store beautifully in an airtight tin for up to a week.

Variations

• Swap the date-raisin filling for fig preserves or thick apricot jam for a quicker option.
• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough along with the nutmeg for a warmer spice profile.
• Drizzle a simple powdered sugar glaze over the tops after cooling for a bakery finish.