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Christmas: Hallongrottor (Raspberry Caves)

Source of Recipe

Rachel Sheppard


Recipe Introduction

These delicate butter cookies are baked in muffin pans. The dough contains vanilla sugar (or vanilla extract.) An indentation is made in each cookie and filled with a little raspberry jam before baking.

List of Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar*
• 8 tsp. raspberry jam (or any flavor jam)
•
• *or 1 tsp. of liquid vanilla added to butter mixture.



Recipe

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light. Combine flour, baking powder and vanilla sugar and add to butter mixture. Beat at low to combine.

Divide this very soft dough in a half and then divide each into eight pieces. Roll each piece into a ball (you will have 16). Line 16 muffin cups with muffin paper. (We use holiday foil bake cups that can be set on a cookie sheet; you don't have to use muffin tins.)

Place a ball of dough in each cup and make an indentation in the top of each with a floured thumb. Fill the indentation with 1/2 tsp. raspberry jam.

Bake in a 350F oven 20 minutes or until golden and set.


Notes:This is a Swedish recipe that I make every year at Christmas, although it is great to serve any time of year.

Number of servings: Makes 16 cookies