Key Lime Jewel Cookies

These cookies are so yummy, just tart enough from the lime and sweet enough from the raspberry. Very pretty, jewel toned gems to munch on too!

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1  tablespoon key lime zest
• 1  cup butter, softened
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  egg yolks
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 5  tablespoons key lime juice
• 1  tablespoon water
• 6  drops  green food coloring
• 1  cup pine nuts, chopped
• 2⁄3 cup  seedless raspberry preserves
• 1⁄2 cup powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and lime zest; set aside.
3. In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar together.
4. Add the egg yolks, and combine well.
5. Next, mix in the almond extract, and the lime juice.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, and mix well.
7. Add the water to make the dough come together more easily.
8. Add the green food coloring and work through the dough to get even color.
9. Lay the chopped pine nuts out in one layer on a plate.
10. Pinch off chunks of the dough and roll them between your hands to form 1 inch balls.
11. Roll the dough balls in the pine nuts to get them evenly coated, and then place them on parchment paper lined baking sheets.
12. Take your index finger and make an indent into the middle of each dough ball.
13. Carefully drop 1 teaspoon of the raspberry preserves into each indent on your cookies.
14. Bake for about 35 minutes, or when the pine nuts start to lightly brown on the edges.(Your cookies may bake quicker, my oven is not the best, just use your best judgement folks).
15. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for a couple minutes.
16. Then transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool completely before lightly dusting them with the powdered sugar. Enjoy!