1993 3rd Place: Empires

1 c Unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c Granulated sugar

2 c All-purpose flour

1/2 c Seedless raspberry jam or

Currant jelly 1 c Confectioners` sugar

Milk (1-2 tablespoon) Colored sugar for decorating 1. Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl of electric mixer

until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour and blend well. Remove from bowl and knead until shiny. Divide dough in half; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate dough until it is firm enough to roll, several hours or longer. Let dough soften slightly on counter if too firm to roll. 2. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Roll dough between two sheets of

floured wax paper or flatten dough with floured hands to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Use cookie cutters to make shapes. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Bake only until slightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheets just long enough to firm

cookies and then remove to wire racks to cool completely. 3. To assemble, spread half of the cookies with a small amount of

jam and sandwich with another cookie. Put confectioners` sugar into a small bowl and drizzle in just enough milk to make a thin glaze. Frost cookies lightly with the glaze and sprinkle with colored sugar. Let stand until glaze hardens. This delicate cookie by Keith and Teresa Duncan of Batavia tied for third place. from the Chicago Tribune sixth annual Food Guide Holiday Cookie Contest December 2, 1993 -----