Cherry Filled Cutouts Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until firm. , Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, roll each portion to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-3/4-in. round cutter. Place half of the circles 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets; top each with a heaping teaspoon of pie filling. Cut holes in the center of remaining circles with a 1-in. round cutter; place over filled circles. Seal edges. , Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream the butter and shortening; gradually add sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. , Meanwhile, for filling, combine sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan. Add juices, cherries and butter. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 1 minute. Chill. , Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-in. thickness; cut with a 2-1/2-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter dipped in flour., Place half of the cookies on greased baking sheets; spoon 1/2 teaspoon filling in the center of each. Use a 1-1/2-in. heart-shaped cutter to cut small hearts out of the other half of the cookies. (Bake small heart cutouts separately.) Place the remaining hearts over filled cookies; press edges together gently. Fill centers with additional filling if needed. Sprinkle with sugar. , Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Steps:

• Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl; set aside. Pulse pecans, confectioners' sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a food processor until finely ground (but not wet); transfer to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
• Add butter and granulated sugar; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in vanilla and egg. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Halve dough; shape into disks. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Cut out squares with a 2-inch fluted cutter. Cut out centers of half the squares with a 1/2-inch heart cutter; reroll scraps. Space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake squares and hearts until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.
• Meanwhile, heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes; let cool.
• Sprinkle cutout cookies with confectioners' sugar. Spread jam onto uncut squares; top with cutout ones.