Grandma's Date Filled Cookies

These cookies have two layers of delicious and light sugar cookies sandwiched with date filling. I even loved these as a kid, when dates weren't COOL!

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• DATE FILLING

• 1 1⁄2 cups dates, cut up fine (You may use a combination of figs, raisins and dates -l/2 cup each- if you prefer)
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1  tablespoon flour
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 2  teaspoons lemon juice

• COOKIE DOUGH

• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  eggs
• 2  tablespoons heavy cream or 2  tablespoons canned milk
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Mix in a sauce pan the dates, sugar and TBSP of flour, water, and lemon juice. Cook this for about 5 minutes on a medium heat, until all are blended well.
2. Mix together the shortening, sugar, and eggs.
3. Stir in the 2 Tbsps. thick cream and l teaspoons vanilla.
4. Sift together the 2 1/2 cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Add to shortening mix to form dough.
5. Chill dough for at least 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll out dough in thin layers in small batches and cut with round cookie cutter.
7. Put mixture (about a tbsp.) in the center between 2 thin cookies pressed together.
8. Bake at 350 degrees on lightly greased sheet pan for 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.