Cherry-Filled Shortbread Cookies

Makes 22 filled cookies

Cookie Dough:
1¾    cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
½      teaspoon kosher salt
16    tablespoons (2 sticks; ½ pound)
         European-style, unsalted butter,
         room temperature and cut into 8
         pieces
⅓     cup granulated sugar
⅓     cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2      large egg yolks, room temperature
1      teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
¾     cup cherry preserves, room
        temperature or slightly warm
        confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Nutritional information per filled cookie, plus one small cookie (made from extra dough):
Calories 159 (49% from fat) • carb. 19g • pro. 1gfat 9g • sat. fat 5g • chol. 39mg • sod. 26mgcalc. 20mg • fiber 0g

1. Put the flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Mix on Speed 1 to fully combine, about 30 seconds. Reserve
2. Put the butter into a large mixing bowl. Mix on Speeds 1 to 2 until creamy, then add the sugars. Mix on Speeds 2 to 3 until light, then, on Speed 2, add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and mix until combined.Add the dry ingredients and mix on Speed2 until evenly mixed.
3. Divide dough into two disks. Wrap in wax paper/parchment, then wrap well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
4. Take one dough disk out of fridge to soften slightly. Preheat oven to 350°F with two racks in the lower and upper middle positions. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough into an even ¼-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut rounds and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill for about 10 minutes.
6. Bake chilled cookies for 10 minutes, turning baking sheet halfway through bake time, until the edges are just golden. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
7. Repeat rolling and baking with remaining dough, this time first cutting out the 2-inch rounds, but then use a ¾-inch round (or heart, star or other festive shape) to cut out centers of the rounds.* Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, being sure that they do not brown. Cool completely before filling andassembling.
8. Once cookies are cooled, spread 1 teaspoon of the preserves over the entire surface of the uncut rounds. Top with the cutout rounds and press gently together to adhere. Dust the tops of the cookies with confectioners’ sugar.
* The centers can either be put together to roll and bake more filled cookies, or left asthey are to have plain mini cookies.