Description
Delightfully buttery and tender, these classic Shortbread Cookies with Raspberry Preserves are perfect for tea time or a sweet treat. Crisp shortbread sandwiches filled with tangy raspberry preserves and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar make a timeless, elegant cookie that’s sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ pound unsalted butter (3 sticks), at room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
Filling and Topping
- ¾ cup raspberry preserves
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until combined and smooth. Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly to incorporate.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture a cup at a time, mixing on low speed until the dough begins to come together. The sides of the bowl should be clean when finished mixing. If using a hand mixer, you may need to finish mixing by hand.
- Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) in preparation for baking.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: Remove the dough from the fridge and unwrap. Roll out about a quarter of the dough at a time on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to stamp out shapes. Use a straw to cut small holes in the center of the cookies if desired, to create sandwich tops.
- Transfer and Bake: Carefully transfer the cookies onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden brown.
- Cool and Assemble: Allow the cookies to cool completely to room temperature. Spread a thin layer of raspberry preserves on the flat side of half of the cookies. Sandwich with the remaining cookies.
- Finish and Store: Dust the tops of the sandwich cookies with powdered sugar. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature to ensure easy creaming with the sugar.
- Keep unused dough wrapped and refrigerated while rolling out to prevent it from becoming too soft.
- Use a sharp spatula or food scraper to easily lift the cookies from the rolling surface.
- The small hole in the cookie centers helps the raspberry preserves show through and creates a decorative effect.
- You can substitute raspberry preserves with other fruit jams if desired.
- For crispier cookies, bake an extra 1-2 minutes but watch carefully to avoid burning.
- These cookies freeze well after baking; thaw at room temperature before serving.
