Ingredients
1 egg
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 cup of firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1/4 tsp of grated lemon zest
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup of finely ground almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts
1/2 to 3/4 cup of jam
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, lemon zest, flour and salt.
- Shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Break off walnut-sized pieces, roll them into 1-inch balls. Sprinkle the ground nuts on a plate and roll the balls in the nuts. Place the balls on a baking sheet, about 1-inch apart.
- Push down on each ball with a thumb to make an indentation. Fill the indentation with a dab of jam.
- Bake for about 8 minutes, or until barely beginning to turn golden. Do not overcook. Remove to a rack to cool. To store, pack in single layers, separated by waxed paper, in an airtight container. The cookies will keep for about 1 week.
- Chef's tip: These are one of the easiest cookies to make, and will disappear almost as fast as you can make them. For extra color and flavor, use different kinds of jam.