Sugar Cookie Recipes - Highland Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups/300 g all-purpose/plain flour

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1 cup/250 g butter, softened

• 1 1/2 cups/300 g granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract/essence

• 1/2 cup/160 ml raspberry preserves

• 1/3 cup/50 g confectioners'/icing sugar

• 1 tbsp water or more as needed

• 10 candied cherries, cut in half

---

Method:

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until creamy.

2. Add the egg and vanilla, beating until just blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.

3. Press the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Butter two cookie sheets.

4. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (5 mm). Use a 1 1/2-inch (4-cm) cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.

5. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used. Use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a cookie sheet, placing them 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on the sheets until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer to racks to finish cooling.

7. Warm the raspberry preserves in a small saucepan over low heat until liquid. Stick the cookies together in pairs with the preserves.

8. Mix the confectioners' sugar with enough water to make a spread able frosting. Spread the tops of the cookies with the frosting and decorate with a half cherry.