If you want your kids to start baking give them this recipe.
This recipe for Jelly Slices is one of the first cookies I ever made on my own and for good reason —they’re so easy.
My mom clipped the recipe out of an old American Home magazine back in the early ‘70’s. It appealed to her because you get all of the crispy benefits of a cookie with shortcuts:
- No rolling pins and cookie cutters
- No dropping by spoonful or rolling into balls,
- No waiting around to put a second pan in the oven.
- You’re guaranteed two dozen cookies on one pan.
Jelly Spices were a lunchbox and afternoon-snack sort of cookie when we were little but mom used to make them when the bridge ladies came over too because they’re so pretty, glistening with ruby-coloured jam and sometimes dressed up with a few slivered almonds.
Jelly slices – old fashioned whole grain sugar cookies filled with a dollop of jam.
Jelly Slices
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup butter
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla or lemon juice
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour (whole white, whole wheat or spelt)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- About ½ cup jam or jelly
Instructions:
- Cream butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla and egg.
- Combine flour with baking powder and add to butter mixture.
- Combine well and turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface.
- Divide dough in four and shape each piece into an 8”-10” roll.
- Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- With your finger, make an impression down the centre of each roll and fill with jam or jelly.
- Bake at 350 F for about 20-22 minutes, until golden around the edges.
- When cool, slice on the diagonal into pieces.
