Jammy Cornmeal Nut Cookies

These are crunchy and jammy delights. A dash or coarse cornmeal gives them crackle, nuts give them flavor and jam gives them comfort. They are especially easy to prepare last minute, because the butter should be refrigerator-cold (no waiting for butter to get to room temperature!), so they are a go-to recipe for last minute cookie needs!

1/3 cup mixed nuts (or nuts of choice)

1/3 cup sugar

1-1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup coarse cornmeal (polenta)

1 stick cold butter, cut into 20-24 cubes

1 egg, well beaten

1 Tsp vanilla

~1 Tbsp ice water, or as needed

1/3 cup raspberry (or favorite) jam

Confectioner’s sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350F.

Carefully pulse the mixed nuts in a food processor about a dozen times or so, until coarse chunks (size good for cookies), but not a floury meal. Remove to a bowl.

Add the next group of ingredients to the food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Add the cold butter and pulse 12-15 times, just to incorporate the butter - you should still have pea-sized chunks of butter (like making a pie crust). Add the nuts.

Add a third of the egg and pulse 3 times. Add the next third of the egg and pulse 4 times. Add the final third of egg and the vanilla, and pulse 5 times.

Check the dough. It should seem dry and crumbly, but form a coherent ball firmed easily in your fingers. If not, Add a tablespoon ice water and pulse 3 times.

Recheck the dough and adjust with more ice water accordingly. Now gather about 1-2 tablespoons dough into your hands and roll to walnut-sized balls. Place 12 on each of two parchment paper-covered cookie sheets.

Indent centers of each ball with your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon. Use your second hand to hold cookie shape together as you dimple, assuring a circular cratered shape without major cracks (the dough is a bit dry).

Place first sheet on rack in middle of oven. Bake about 15-18 minutes. The cookies will remain fairly pale.

Remove first sheet from oven and cool cookies on a wire rack. Cook second sheet of cookies in the same manner.

When all cookies are cooked and on wire rack and cooled down a bit, sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Mix raspberry jam with a teaspoon water and warm in microwave oven for about 15 seconds. Distribute a dabble of jam into craters in the cookies and allow the cookies to cool thoroughly.

Makes about 2 dozen.

Cook's Note: These are inspired by Dorrie Greenspan's raspberry thumbprint cookies.

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