Finnish Butter and Almond Cookies with Jam

I have been making these cookies for years and I decided to change it up a bit. I added ground almonds and almond extract. Made the difference for me. They are so buttery of course there is 2 sticks of butter in them. I used Raspberry Jam, but I used to use Papaya Jam that my sister would make here in Costa Rica from our Papayas. I think any jam you like is the best one to use. They are fragile though so be careful when serving them. The crumbs are great too. This was a trade, my friend Micky made us Matzo Ball Soup and I gave her cookies. We were both happy.

Finnish Almond and Raspberry cookies

Set oven to 375 degrees

1 cup butter, 2 cubes

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla X

1/2 teaspoon almond X

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/3 cup ground up alomonds

2 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

About 6 Tablespoons of your favorite jam

parchment paper on a cookie sheet

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, beat in the egg yolk, vanilla, almond X and lemon peel.

Add the flour, salt and ground up almonds. Stir to blend together

Shape the dough into about 15 in. logs on cookie sheet.

With the side of your little finger press a line down each log. Don't press all the way through.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes at 375 degrees

Remove from oven and you might have to press a little more with a spoon if they fill in to much.

Add the jam down the middle of the grooves.

Put back in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes just until the cookies start to be a little golden.

Let cool just a bit and slice, and enjoy

Try to wait to let them really cool down before you pick them up.

This recipe is changed a bit form an old Sunset cook book.