Star-Shaped Jam Cookies

These delicious star-shaped jam cookies are perfect for the holiday season and any special occasion. Made from crumbly, buttery dough, these cookies are filled with your favorite fruit jam, adding a sweet and refreshing touch. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, they captivate with their taste and appearance. Dusted with powdered sugar for an extra effect, they look like snowy stars that will delight anyone who tries them. They are ideal for serving with a cup of tea or coffee and perfect for sharing with family and friends!

Recipe for Star-Shaped Jam Cookies

These festive star-shaped jam cookies, perfect for the holiday season, are made with buttery shortbread and filled with your favorite jam. This recipe serves 8 people (approximately 16-20 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter).

Ingredients:

• 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 150 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Powdered sugar, for dusting
• 150 g (1/2 cup) jam or fruit preserves (such as raspberry, strawberry, or apricot)

Instructions:

1. Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Add wet ingredients: Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract to the flour mixture. Mix until the dough comes together. If necessary, add 1-2 tablespoons of cold water to help the dough bind.
3. Chill the dough: Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours). This will make the dough easier to roll out.
4. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 3-4 mm (1/8 inch) thickness. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. For half of the cookies, use a smaller star cutter to create a window in the center.
6. Arrange on baking sheets: Place the whole star cookies and the cookies with cut-out centers onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between them.
7. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Assemble the cookies: Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam on the whole star cookies. Place the cookies with the cut-out centers on top to create a sandwich, pressing gently.
9. Dust with powdered sugar: Before serving, dust the cookies with powdered sugar for a festive look.

Nutritional Value (per cookie, approximately):

• Calories: 120 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Sugar: 8 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Fat: 5 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Sodium: 20 mg

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Baking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Enjoy these delightful cookies with a cup of tea or coffee, and share the joy with family and friends!