Happy Holidays!

For me, one of my favorite things to do during the holiday season--besides decorate...I LOVE to decorate--is to bake cookies. This really is the only time I do, and I go overboard almost every year.  This year I made six different kinds. I usually add a new one on every year to try out. Sometimes I keep them, sometimes I ditch them as duds.  About 18 years ago, this cookie recipe had been one of those trials. It has since ranked up there with chocolate chip and peanut butter as one of my families all-time favorite cookies.

I’d like to share this recipe with you as my Christmas gift to you.  I found this recipe in a quilting magazine of all places.  I do not know such things as calorie content or nutritional value, but I think it’s safe to say, these cookies aren’t healthy, but they sure are delicious…*grin*  And they are easy to make.

Pound Cake Cookies

3 sticks butter at room temperature (do not substitute margarine)

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

3 cups plain flour, shifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Your favorite jelly/jam or pecan haves (I like to use cherry and apricot which I add a drop of red food coloring to the cherry and green to the apricot to make them look more festive)

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks. Blend flower into butter mixture. Add flavoring. Refrigerate dough until chilled. Form small bales about the size of a quarter and press onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Using thumb, press indentation in the top of each cookie and fill with small amount of jelly/jam. If you prefer, press a pecan half on top of cookie instead of jelly. Bake 12 minutes at 300 degrees F, or until lightly brown. Cool several minutes, then slide cookies off pan, using spatula. Makes about 6 to 7 dozen cookies. Keep stored in an airtight container.

HINT:  I personally, don’t press the cookie flat. I keep it round and just use my thumb to make the indentation, then fill it. This does add a few extra minutes to the baking time, however… an average of 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the cookies.

Merry Christmas and a very happy and productive 2012!