Name: Mincemeat or Jam Turnovers
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup cornstarch; 2 teaspoons baking powder; Pinch table salt; 2 egg yolks; 3 tablespoons light cream; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 cup granulated sugar; 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened; 4 tablespoons vegetable shortening; 24 teaspoons raspberry jam, prepared mincemeat, or apricot or prune butter

Why This Recipe Works

We wanted a holiday cookie dough recipe that could be shaped into a variety of rich and tender cookies. When we added some cornstarch, which tenderized the dough, we had our perfect butter cookie recipe.

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment or silicone paper.

Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix yolks, cream, and vanilla together in a measuring cup.

Cream sugar with butter and shortening until lightened and pasty. Beat yolk mixture into creamed butter until just combined.

Add dry ingredients and beat until mixture begins to clump together (about 18 to 20 seconds on lowest speed of electric mixer).

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently to shape into a soft dough. (Can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 6 months.) Proceed with rolling, shaping, and baking instructions under selected cookie. Selected shapes: Classic cut-outs; spirals made with another colored dough; turnovers; mock thumbprints.

Working with 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough rounds. Transfer rounds to prepared cookie sheet. Fill the center of each with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of prepared mincemeat, jam, or apricot or prune butter. Fold in half; crimp edges with a fork. Turn corners up and around so that they come within 1/2-inch of the meeting. Arrange shaped cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.