Shelly's Recipe

RASPBERRY ORANGE SANDWICH COOKIES

Category: Cookies

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons orange extract
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Small jar of your favorite raspberry jam (I prefer seedless)
Semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Sugared orange zest:
Orange
Sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar and orange extract until blended. Add flour and baking soda. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator before rolling out and cutting into desired shape with cookie cutter.

Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool.

Filling: Place jam in small pan over medium heat and slightly reduce. Set aside and let it cool. (Add some orange zest to reduced jam, if you wish.) Sandwich two cookies with the raspberry jam. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate and garnish with sugared orange zest before chocolate hardens.

Sugared orange zest: Peel and julienne the orange part of an orange peel; coat it in sugar.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen.