Ruby Jewel Cookies

Back when I was a kid my mother always made Christmas Wreath Cookies. A couple of years ago I found this even simpler recipe from one of my Williams-Sonoma cookbooks and loved the fact that you could do this in a food processor and there was no sifting involved. With the exception of the coating of the nuts this recipe is very close.
I am all about easy especially when it comes to baking as that is not necessarily my forte. One thing I did find in making them this time around was that my "large" egg yolks must not have been large enough. What I found when I pinched some of the dough it wasn't really sticking together so I improvised and put a tiny bit of cold water in at a time until the dough pulsed off the side of the processor bowl.

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter – cold cut into pieces
• Jam – any flavor

1.  In a food processor – combine the flour, granulated sugar – pulse together. 
2. Add in the cold butter next and pulse until crumbly.
3. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and pulse or process until the yolks fully incorporate and mixture pulls away from the sides.
4. Turn dough out on plastic wrap. Press together and chill for about 15 – 20 minutes.
5. Remove dough from frig. Form dough into ¾ inch balls and flatten and put a thumbprint in center of cookie.
6. Fill each one with jam and bake.

Preheat oven 350 degrees – bake until golden 15-20 minutes until edges are golden. Yield = 44

These inexpensive cookies are great Holiday give-a-ways. They cost me $2.95 to put together. Place them in colorful holiday tins from the Christmas Tree Shop or Dollar Stores and you have a nice home made gift to give to family and friends and neighbors.