Danish Jam Ribbons

This is one of my family’s favorite Christmas cookies. They’re so pretty, festive, light and delicate. You can use any flavor jam you want. We usually do raspberry or strawberry jam because it’s my brother’s favorite. He’s even happier if we add some lemon extract to the dough instead of the almond extract. They take a little more time than some of the other cookies we make, but they’re worth it to us. 

Danish Jam Ribbons
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbls milk
2 tsps vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract (or lemon)
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
6 tablespoons jam

Glaze (recipe at the end)

DIRECTIONS
1. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, milk, and extracts until well blended. 

2. Gradually add 1 1/2 cups flour. Beat at low speed until well blended. Stir in enough remaining flour with spoon to form stiff dough (I usually add all the flour). Form dough into disc: wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or overnight (I usually shape mine into a rectangle – it makes the next step easier). 

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut dough into 6 equal pieces. Rewrap 3 dough pieces and return to refrigerator. With floured hands, shape each piece of dough into 12-inch-long, 3/4 inch thick rope. 

4. Place ropes 2 inces apart on ungreased cookie sheets (I always line my cookie sheets with parchment paper – makes clean up a snap!). Make lengthwise 1/4-inch-deep groove down center of each rope with handle of wooden spoon or finger. (Ropes will flatten to 1/2-inch-thick strips.)

5. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven; spoon 1 tablespoon jam into each groove. (I place the jam in a Ziplock baggy, snip the end off, and pipe into the grove – much easier.) Return to oven; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until strips are light goldne brown. Cool strips 15 minutes on cookie sheet. 

6. Prepare Glaze. Blend 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 TBLS milk, and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth. Drizzle strips with glaze; let stand 5 minutes to dry. Cut cookie strips at 45 degree angle into 1 inch slices. Place cookies on wire racks; cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store tightly covered between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.