Jam-Filled Christmas Cookies

Cookies of this type are usually rolled in beaten egg white, which I find a fussy step. That is why I like this recipe so much; it's tasty AND easy. I found it back in the 1980s in a Norene Gilletz book. They look wonderful on a cookie tray.

• Ready In: 33 mins
• Yields: 48 cookies

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup walnut pieces
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1⁄2 cup  cold butter or 1⁄2 cup margarine, cut in chunks
• 1⁄2 cup icing sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  large egg
• 1⁄2 cup  seedless raspberry jam (or jam of your choice)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F; line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a food processor fitted with steel blade, process walnuts and 1/4 cup of the flour until nuts are quite finely chopped; remove from processor into a dish and set aside.
3. Place remaining flour into food processor, along with butter and icing sugar; process until mixture has a crumbly texture, about 10 seconds or so.
4. Return nut mixture to food processor, along with almond extract and the egg.
5. Process until entire mixture is combined; 15 seconds or so.
6. Make one-inch balls from mixture and place on prepared cookie sheet; using the end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation into each cookie.
7. Fill each hole with a wee bit of jam; I prefer seedless raspberry, but will use strawberry too-- I find the red jams suit the holiday season, but you can use any jam you want.
8. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.