Christmas Cookie Bake Sale

My son's preschool class is having their annual Christmas Cookie bake sale tomorrow. I think this will be one of the only times I actually get to send something homemade with him to school. I made of few of my favorites - chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter/ritz sandwiches dipped in white chocolate (yummy!)

I also decided to try a new recipe. Now normally I am a chocolately or chewy cookie kinda girl - but I found a recipe for Jam-Filled Cookies and something about there being cream cheese in the dough made me want to try them.
I'm so glad I did! They turned out great. I like that they were a softer shortbread cookie and the warm strawberry jam was delicious. And they look so festive too!

Easy Jam Filled Cookies (Kraft)

1 - 8oz. package cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter

2/3 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2-1/2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/3 c. walnuts (I used pecans) finely chopped

3/4 c. preserves (I used strawberry)

1 tsp. powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat cream cheese, butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Separate 1 of the eggs; set egg white aside for later use. Add yolk, second (whole) egg and vanilla to cream cheese mixture; mix well. Gradually add combined flour and baking powder, beating until well blended.

Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 12x1 inch log; place 2 inches apart, on large ungreased baking sheet. Use fingers to make depression down length of each log. Beat reserved egg white with fork; brush over dough. Sprinkle with walnuts. Fill depressions with preserves, using about 3 T. preserves in each log.

Bake 25-27 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Let cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut each log into 12 equal pieces.