Cookie One: Raspberry Ribbons

Again, apologies for the terrible photo quality. Camera was nowhere to be found and iPhone had to suffice.

Raspberry Ribbons, the pretty little melt-in-your-mouth cookies. I think these could be one of my favorite treats that are served during the holidays, with their slight tangy flavor and small size. I am definitely a one-bite cookie kind of girl.

That being said, these cookies aren't the easiest to make on your first try. This isn't because they don't taste right; it's actually because it's rather difficult to get them to look right. As I was getting ready to place the cookies in the oven, I noticed that they looked nothing like ribbons. In fact, they looked more like snakes that had just eaten a small child, with a huge bulge in the middle and extremely thin ends. I tried to smash them into shape, but it wasn't as easy as I thought. So I baked them anyway and trusted in the art of creative slicing to try and get the cookies to look somewhat uniform. As you can see from the picture, I did a pretty good job with the cutting, but the glazing and jam placement was a completely separate challenge for me... a challenge that I apparently lost.

But they still tasted delicious! That's half the battle, right?

Raspberry Ribbon Cookies

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam
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• GLAZE:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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• 1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
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• 2. Divide dough into four portions; shape each into a 10-in. x 2-1/2-in. log. Place 4 in. apart on greased or foil-lined baking sheets. Make a 1/2-in. depression down the center of each log. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
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• 3. Fill depressions with jam. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes. Remove to a cutting board; cut into 3/4-in. slices. Place on wire racks.
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• 4. In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm cookies. cool completely.