Lemon Raspberry (and Strawberry) Thumbprints

Can you say "summer cookie"?

Lemon, strawberry, and raspberry what's more summery than that?

These are delightful.  I've had about 3 since they came out of the oven :)  They're chewy, lemony, and that jam in the middle balances the flavor perfectly.

I got the recipe from Emeril Lagasse on the Food Network website.

Recipe:

1/2 cup raspberry jam or jelly

1 tablespoon Chambord or kirsch

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature

2/3 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

I also added 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract after tasting the dough and thinking that it needed more lemon flavor.  For the  jam, I used this amazing strawberry and raspberry jam by Sarabeth's.  So good.

Directions:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 large baking sheets.

2.  In a small bowl, combine the jam and Chambord. Stir to combine.

3.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk to blend.

4.  In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Add the flour mixture in 2 additions and beat just until moist clumps form. Gather the dough together into a ball.

5.  Pinch off the dough to form 1-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart. Use your floured index finger or 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon to create depressions in the center of each ball. Fill each indentation with nearly 1/2 teaspoon of the jam mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

6. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Also, again, you need to try this stuff.  It's fabulous (and available at Whole Foods).

I mean, look at the ingredients.  Strawberries, sugar, raspberries, and lemon juice.  That's it.  

It's good as a PB&J waffle breakfast too, I might add.