Red Wine Spice Cookies With Almonds and Red Currant Jelly

I find this recipe a nice way to spruce up your basic sugar cookie recipe. The jelly is optional, but it gives these cookies a nice tangy kick. These can also be made vegan by substituting vegetable spread for the butter and 3 tbsp applesauce for the egg.

• Ready In: 19 mins
• Serves: 1
• Yields: 18-24 cookies

Ingredients

• 17 1⁄2 ounces  dry  sugar cookie mix (I use the Betty Crocker mix)
• 2  ounces  slivered almonds
• 1⁄4 teaspoon clove
• 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 cup red wine
• 1⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup flour
• 1⁄2 cup red currant jelly

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. 2. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix, almond slivers, and spices.
3. 3. Add the egg, red wine, and butter. Mix well.
4. 4. If you would like more of a sugar cookie texture to your cookies, reduce the amount of butter and red wine. If you would like more a scone-like texture, add the full amount of wine and butter, then slowly mix in the flour 1/4 cup at a time. The final texture of the dough should be very sticky but not gooey. If you place a ball of it on the cookie sheet, it should hold its shape.
5. 5. Place balls of dough at least 1 1/2 inches in diameter on a cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies are a light golden brown.
6. 6. Remove cookies from the oven. Use your thumb to make an indent in the middle of each cookie.
7. 7. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. Spoon about 1 tsp of red currant jelly into the center of each cookie. Enjoy!