Raspberry Cream Cheese Cookies
Happy December! I’m excited to be contributing another cookie recipe to this year’s Virtual Cookie Party hosted by Cosette of Cosette’s Kitchen! Be sure to check out the hashtag #VirtualCookieParty2020 on Instagram today and see all the other delicious cookies shared by tons of talented food bloggers!
While these may not seem like an overtly Christmasy type cookies (ok or not at all), they instantly transport me to the season when I take a bite. Growing up, my mom made these every year around Christmas and it was always a favorite. I’m not sure where she got the recipe, as the recipe we use is scrawled on a now very butter-splattered and well-loved recipe card. The title on the recipe in my mom’s handwriting states “Raspberry Cream Cheese Cookies (awesome)”. Lol. They are very simple to make and don’t require a lot of ingredients, either which is so convenient. The dough is uniquely soft and pliable due to the high ratio of fat from butter and cream cheese (hello, holidays!) but the dough is actually fairly easy to work with once it’s been in the fridge of a few hours. You roll out the dough, cut out rounds, fill them with a little dollop of jam, fold and seal them up, bake them, then shower in powdered sugar. And then watch them disappear before your eyes! We’ve never made these with another type of jam or preserve but I don’t see why you couldn’t! While the dough itself isn’t very sweet, is rich so I would suggest picking a jam that has a fair amount of acidity to cut through it. Hope you make these and enjoy them!
Raspberry Cream Cheese Cookies
makes about 40 cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 8 oz package full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup raspberry jam
powdered sugar, for serving
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl and using a hand mixer, combine the butter and cream cheese and beat until well combined and smooth, a minute or two. Add in the granulated sugar and vanilla bean paste and beat again until well combined and fluffy about a minute. Add in the flour, baking powder, and salt and start the mixer on low, gently mixing until all the flour is incorporated then turn it up to medium and beat until everything is combined and a smooth, sticky dough forms. Transfer the dough to a large piece of plastic wrap and form into a disc and wrap tightly. Refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Unwrap the cold dough and place on a well floured work surface. Dust a little more flour on top of the dough as well as the rolling pin and roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness. The dough will get very soft as it warms up but it’s also pretty forgiving. Just be sure to dust work space with enough flour to prevent sticking. Use a drinking glass or 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out rounds. To form the cookies, dollop about a teaspoon of jam in the center of a dough round and fold the dough over onto itself to form a crescent shape. Pinch the edges down with your fingers then dip the tines of a fork in flour and crimp the edges of cookies to seal. Place on a prepared baking sheet and repeat with the rest. Bake the cookies, one tray at a time, until they’re puffed and light golden-brown, about 12-15 minutes. Cool completely then dust them generously with powdered sugar.
