Butterball Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup (100 grams) white granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

1/2 cup (120 ml) raspberry jam/Blackberry Jam

Garnish:

1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar

Method:

In a separate bowl whisk the flour with the salt. 

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until creamy and smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours, or until firm.  

Roll the dough into small balls that are about the size of a hazelnut (about 3/4 inch) (about 2 cm). Place the balls of dough on a parchment lined baking pan and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. This will make the dough very firm which will prevent the cookies from spreading during baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degree F (190 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven.

When the balls of dough are firm, remove from freezer. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 to12 minutesor until the cookies are firm but not brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Place the sugar on a large plate. While the cookies are still a little warm, lightly roll each cookie in the sugar. Place on a wire rack to finish cooling. Then take one cookie and spread a little raspberry jam/black berry jam on the underside of the cookie. Top with a second cookie to form a sandwich. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.

Makes about 36 sandwich cookies.