Lemon Raspberry Sandwiches
(Makes about 4 dozen cookies)

The chewy texture of these delightful cookies makes them very appealing. A hint of lemon flavor and the bright taste of raspberry is a great combination. The cream cheese lends moistness and the nuts an interesting texture and flavor. Don’t over bake them or they will be crunchy.  You can make them without the lemon oil if you can’t find it, but it’s worth the effort to locate some. Be sure you use the best quality seedless raspberry preserves you can find, because it will make a big difference in the flavor of the cookies. It is best to sandwich the cookies together just before you are serving them, or just before you place them on a cookie tray.

3 ounces cream cheese (do not use nonfat) at cool
room temperature
7 ounces (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
grated zest of 2 lemons
1/4 teaspoon pure lemon oil
1 egg, graded large
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups blanched almonds, ground fine
1/2 cup granulated sugar for flattening the cookies
1 cup (about) seedless raspberry preserves

Preheat a conventional oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, or a convection oven to 310 degrees Fahrenheit, and arrange the oven racks so they divide the oven into thirds. Line two baking pans with parchment.

Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium high speed until smooth, light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar, salt, zest, lemon oil, and egg and continue beating for another 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl and add the flour, beating on low speed until just combined, about 15 seconds. Add the ground almonds and beat on low speed to blend them in, about 15 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, giving a few stirs, to be sure the dough is thoroughly mixed. 

Scoop the dough using a #70 (1 tablespoon) dough scoop and drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.  When all of the dough has been scooped onto the baking sheets, flatten them with the bottom of a glass that has been dipped into granulated sugar. Be sure to dip the glass into the sugar after flattening each cookie.  It makes it easier to lift the glass from the flattened cookie if you gently twist the glass as you flatten the cookie.  When all of the cookies have been flattened, bake them in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through the baking time. When they are done the cookies will be very pale brown around the edges, and will give a little when you gently touch them with your finger.  Remove the pans from the oven and set them on wire racks to cool. When completely cool, store the cookies in an airtight container until you are ready to sandwich them. 

To sandwich the cookies, place about 1 teaspoon of preserves on the back of a cookie and form a sandwich by placing the back of another cookie onto it.

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