Empire Biscuits

catht's Note:

These are a must for any christmas cookie tray in my family. A sweet, flavourful sandwich cookie that you can decorate any way you like. I like to use a teeny tiny cookie cutter to make bite-sized cookies, but I believe that they are traditionally made with slightly larger rounds.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 20 small s ...

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup icing sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam
• ½ cup icing sugar
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract , if desired
• 2 teaspoons water , as needed

Directions:

1. In large bowl, using hand mixer on medium, cream together butter and 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg and blend thoroughly. Add flour, baking soda and cream of tartar, and mix well.
2. On lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/8-1/4" thick. Cut into desired shapes and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at preheated 300F oven until lightly golden around edges, about 12-15 minutes.
4. While still hot, sandwich together with jam. Set on rack to cool.
5. In small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup sugar, extract, and enough water to make icing. Ice tops of cooled cookies and decorate as desired.

Reviews

[Gumdrop]

This is a cookie I always bought at a scottish bakery here in town. The bakery burned down and I had to find a recipe for empire biscuits. I took them to a potluck and they disappeared. My mom who is from Scotland was impressed that I could make them just like the bakery. I get tons of requests for this recipe.

[Cook in the Creek]

These cookies are a favourite with my husbands family and this version was delicious, very tender with that melt-in-your-mouth texture I was hoping for! Instead of rolling and cutting out the cookies I rolled the dough into a log,chilled and then sliced into 1/4 " rounds. It makes for slightly less than perfect circles but is much easier if you're not in the mood to fuss with rolling pins and cutters. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly and was very pleased, will definitely make these again, thanks!