Fancy Jelly-Filled Thumbprint Cookies (thank you, may I have another?)

Today, I'm sharing my favorite Christmas cookie ever. Like, forever ever. Forever and ever and ever.  They're beautifully sweet, light and buttery, bite-sized treats sent straight from cookie heaven.  My mom was generous enough to share this recipe with me, even though she knows it's one of the reasons I come home for Christmas every year! I enjoy making and giving these cuties. They are perfect for cookie swaps, and look gorgeous resting on a bright platter!



Fancy Jelly-Filled Thumbprint Cookies

Cookie Dough/filling:
3/4 C. sugar

3/4 C. butter (softened)
2 tsp. grated orange peel
1  3oz. block cream cheese (not the full size (8 oz.) package)
1 egg
2 1/4 C.  All-purpose flour
3/4 tsp.  baking powder
1/2 C. seedless red raspberry preserves (or seedless jelly/preserves flavor of your choice)

Glaze
1/2 C. white chocolate chips (melted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat cheese, sugar, and butter together; add egg and orange peel, blend.  Add dry ingredients; blend well.

Cool cookie dough in refridgerator for easier handling.

Shape into 1" balls and place 2" apart on cookie sheet.
Using the rounded end of a wooden spoon handle, gently press a "hole" into each ball, being careful not to poke all the way through to the surface of the sheet.

Fill "holes" with 1/4 tsp. preserves

Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until firm to touch.Melt white chocolate chips; drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

Makes 2-3 dozen. Enjoy!

Awesome Kitchen Gadget #1

While shopping for apartment-warming gifts for my sister-in-law, I found one of the best kitchen prep items ever - The OXO 2-cup angle measuring cup. Instead of kneeling down/bending over and repeatedly pouring in /dumping out ingredients like you would normally do when using the average measuring cup, you can stand up, pour the ingredients in, and read the measurement from above! Also comes in a mini-version for smaller amounts. Needless to say, Katie will be using this wonderful tool in her new apartment kitchen, and I will be buying them for all of my lady family members for xmas this year - I'll make sure to buy one for myself, too!

$7.95 @ Crate & Barrel: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=744&f=6611

$3.95 for mini