Raspberry Jam Shortbread Sandwiches
My mom and I loved holiday baking together. Some years we focused on pie, some years on sweet loaf breads….but cookies were always a must. A few years ago my mom and I made some of these delights….she showed me how to even make a fancy version of them with center cut outs for what I like to call a “stained-glass” effect (see the notes section of the recipe for the details).
Baking for others...
This year I knew I wouldn’t enjoy baking by myself, so I wanted to make the act a little extra special. I decided to volunteer and help bake cookies for a local food bank :)— my mom would have LOVED doing this.
Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) is creating thank you baskets for vendors of local farmer’s markets that donate their unsold fresh produce to the food bank so that they in turn can bring THOUSANDS of pounds of healthy, organic fruits and vegetables to those in need. I’m honored to make these Raspberry Jam Shortbread Sandwiches as a token of gratitude for these souls and business owners that make healthy eating and giving back to the community a part of their mission.
What I love about these delights...
What I love most about these cookies is that these light, berry-filled delights literally melt in your mouth :). They are also fun to make, versatile enough to make for the holidays, Valentine's day or any other special occasions. And, best of all you can make the dough ahead of time and store it in your freezer for up to 2 month!
To eliminate overwhelm with holiday cookie baking...
My suggestion to eliminate overwhelm and keep your peace with holiday baking is to break it up into steps. That way you can do a little prep one day and bake them another; closer to when you want to enjoy them with friends and family.
For instance, when baking these cookies for AFAC, I did the following:
- Tuesday evening - Grocery shopping (or over the weekend)
- Wednesday evening - I made the logs of this dough
- Thursday morning - I baked and sandwiched them
- Friday morning - they will be delivered
Each step took 30-75 minutes. So instead of it being a 3-4 hour project....it felt more like a quick daily project, a few days in a row.
The night I made the dough, I even made two extra logs, so that next week when my family visits for Thanksgiving, we can do a little baking and sandwich making together…as we catch up and enjoy the holiday weekend together.
So in the spirit of reciprocating kindness and spreading a little holiday sweetness, happy baking, friends :).
xo,
Kajal
P.S. If you make these sweet delights, please be sure to leave a comment and let me know how they turned out!
P.S.S. Kindness Cards are great addition to holiday place table settings….a little love note to all your guests.
