Apricot Cream Cheese Thumbprints

Made these for Christmas. I doubled the creamcheese like one other reviewer. Everyone said they tasted like bakery cookies, and they looked like bakery cookies, too. I don't even have a quality cookie sheet and the bottoms were perfect. I used strawberry preserves for half and orange marmalade for the other half. I did not garnish with powdered sugar. The jewel tones of the filling were pretty enough. Probably the best cookies I have ever made. This recipe definitely made me look like a good baker. Thanks.

This is a great recipe. I read some other reviews that described this cookie recipe as bland, but I would change that to subtle. The flavors aren't bold, but I think that is a wonderful thing. If you are making a cookie platter, the last thing you want are all the cookies to be screaming with over-sweetness & repeating flavors. This is so nice because the cream chees & butter give a really rich dough & the apricot just gives a faint sweetness. I rolled the dough out, & spread the jam on the top & rolled like a jelly roll & then cut the cookies to make pinwheels which is a nice variation. I had another butter cookie recipe with the raspberry imprints, & so this was more of a variation then just the traditional print cookies. Another nice thing is that it makes a LOT of cookies, it strained my Kitchen-Aid a little on the lower speeds but I only because I dumped in all the flour at once. Add the flour slowly & you will avoid this! Overall, very, very, yummy!!!

These cookies make a lovely presentation. I tried them with both apricot & red raspberry preserves. Both were very good. After baking a few pans, I saw the suggestion to roll the dough in confectioner's sugar before baking. This made them easier to work with. I will make these cookies again.

What a great cookie!! This is the type of taste that my family loves - not bland but not over sweet. Since this made so many, I was able to experiment with each tray that went into the oven. I put different flavored jams on several dozen - including Hot Pepper Jelly (it was a hit). One batch, I rolled the cookie first into ground walnuts. I did end up sprinkling each batch with powdered sugar except those rolled in nuts. Next time, I'm going to try rolling in colored granulated sugar. Here's 3 BIG tips: 1. I prefer to bake on parchment paper. 2. With this cookie, I used the smaller end of my Melon Baller to make the indent instead of using my finger (I have nails). I held my fingers around the ball shape and then pressed gently with the rounded side of the Melon Baller - almost to the bottom of the cookie. This gave the cookies uniform indents and reasonable size to fill with the jam. Dip the Melon Baller in powdered sugar first to prevent sticking. 3. Put the lemon in the microwave for 15 seconds before zesting and juicing. I was able to get 2 Tbls. juice out of one half of the lemon. I refrigerated the dough before rolling into balls and had no problems. This recipe would be great for a Cookie Exchange. Definetly was a hit with everyone and was told to make them again. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

Very tasty and easy to make. Next time I'll line my cookie sheet with aluminum foil - baked-on jam is hard to clean off!

I love this recipe! We had a cookie exchange and my mom made this recipe and it was the best cookie at the party! I normally don't care for filled cookies, but the cream cheese makes it delicious. The one thing that my mom did differently to make it easier was to roll the balls in powdered sugar before she pressed them with her thumb. It made them a little sweeter and much less sticky.

These are excellent! I decided to make the batter, chill overnight, and cook the next day. That didn't happen exactly.. after about 5 minutes in the fridge, I took out the dough and made a quick batch to try out. The dough worked well, even not chilled very long. I used 3 jellies - Apricot, Raspberry(as others suggested), and Apple (b/c I had it in the house). The Winner - Apple! It is hard to beat the other flavors, but apple was just different enough to win. Also, I made the original recipe size and used 2 sticks regular butter, 1 stick unsalted butter. When cooling - I did 2 minutes on the pan, 2 minutes on the wire rack, then put the cookies and rack in to the freezer for 2 minutes, then let them continue cooling on rack on the counter. I am not sure why, but cooling them slightly in the freezer always helps them stay moist longer. Excellent reviews! Even from long-time, picky cookie makers!

Okay recipe. Would add more flour and extra vanilla if I made it again.

These cookies are fabulous! I don't usually make thumbprints, but after reading all the good reviews I thought I'd give these a try. I filled half with apricot preserves and half with lemon pie filling and everyone loved them. I will definitely be making these again.

These cookies are beautiful and tasty. I made them for our Christmas party last year and they were a huge hit! I used different fillings, and they were all good. I also rolled some in finely chopped nuts for variation. Make these cookies for your Christmas Cookie Tray--you won't be disappointed.

Delicious cookies. The cream cheese makes the dough soft and stay soft after baking. The sweetness is subtle and the lemon/jam tartness is lovely with the light taste of the cream cheese. As many reviewers have said, this is a subtle cookie, not a screemingly sweet bold cookie. The lemon zest and apricot preserves are the major flavorings of this cookie. Use good quality flour, zest your lemon properly (avoid the pith), and use good quality jam and you won't be disappointed. Additions that I've found work are using bit of almond extract with raspberry jam. A warning about the dough: as you finish the dough and roll them for the baking sheet, the dough will look fluffy and "too soft". Resist the urge to add more flour. The dough is perfect.

I made these for a cookie exchange at work, and they were a hit. They were the perfect texture, soft but not crumbly, with just enough sweetness. These are definitely going to be a tradition for me.

These are really bland. I was disappointed. They look pretty but turn out dry and tasteless.

These were good. We used apricot preserves straight from the jar. I will make these again.

Totally awesome cookies! The cream cheese makes them special. I made one change. Instead of lemon zest I added 1 teaspoon of almond extract. Definitely roll in powdered sugar prior to adding preserves to thumbprint-gives a little more sweetness. Thanks for a great recipe!

These are excellent. I did add a tsp. of vanilla extract to the dough. This is A LOT of dough to work with so use a big bowl. With a 1TBS. portion scoop, recipe yield was 112 cookies. I also used the back of the portion scoop dipped in powdered sugar to make the indentation. They freeze well too. I did use both strawberry and apricot filling. Both were excellent. Not sure about those who state that they're not sweet enough or that they're dry. These cookies were perfect in texture and sweetness.

This is the best cookie recipe, I know, because I have been making this recipe and my mother has been making this recipe for many, many years!!! The Kookie is called "Kolaki"!!! It is a Checkoslovakian and Bohemian recipe handed down to Checks and Bohemians for many years!!! Of course it is the best Christmas cookie, rhat is when we always make it!!! It is delicious with Solo Apricot filling, or with cheese, rasberry, and even crushed walnuts!!! You can make them from scratch or go to Sam's Club, and they have the dough and jellys already made up and ready to bake, then you dust them, don't roll them with powder sugar!!! Or make them fresh, and they are just so delicious!!! We rool out the dough, cut them out with a shot glass, and then top them with Apricot (my favorite)!!! I have never, however tried making them with lemon jiuce or lemon zest!!! I think maybe this person added this to give it a little more taste or zip!!! I like it without the lemon, and have for many years!!! I am 57 years old and have been making them since I was a kid, helping my Mom make them (and sneaking a taste of Apricot, when she wasn't looking. I will try it with the lemon and see what I think!!! I just wanted you all to know this was an old, old Checkoslovakian/Bohemian recipe, with a lemon twist!!! Yers, I am of Check desent!!! Enjoy, and have a great day!!!! Paulette35

I have been using this recipe for about 3 years. They are always a big hit. I end up getting a lot of cookies out of the recipe so I drop them off to very excited family. I love to do these with red raspberry jam and apricot and apricot pineapple I make different flavor batches. I did try with some strawberry one time and did not like it at all. I do increase the lemon juice and zest about 2.5-3 Tablespoons of each. Also these are pretty labor intensive so I chill the dough overnight and make the cookies the next day. Also do not over work your dough and keep an eye on the first batch sometimes mine are done at about 13 minutes. I dust with powder sugar after they cool a bit. And don't try them straigt out of the oven I always can't wait and burn myself b/c the jam is so hot!! Happy baking!!

Love these. A huge hit in my house - which is normally all chocolate lovers. The only change I made was to add 1 tbsp pure vanilla. I have also used the dough recipe alone for a roll-out cookies dough and it works out really well.

This is excellent! I made these twice. The first time I used the orginal recipe, the second time I adapted it. I omitted the Lemon and Lemon zest, and substituted Vanilla and added a tsp. of Butter extract. They came out delicious! I also did some with apricot filling and some with Rasberry filling. A tip to make the centers all uniform. I used my round metal 1/4 tsp measuring spoon, dipping it in flour after each time. They came out all uniform. This recipe will be a definite favorite.

I found this recipe a little too late to make it for my Christmas cookie exchange, but I can guarantee it will be on the list next year! I usually make regular thrumbprint cookies with confectioners' icing, which are delicious, but these are a little more special. They could almost be considered delicate, with the cream cheese taste, and the beautiful apricot filling. My kids loved them, and I couldn't get enough! The only bad thing is the New Year's Resolution...

Very good, soft. I use the lemon curd goes well with the overall flavor of the cookie

These are absolutely wonderful! I used apricot peach jam and I also added 1/2 tsp salt to 1 batch. For those of you who thought it was bland, try adding the salt. Brings out flavor and most cookies do have salt for a reason. I want to use double raspberry jam next time. This one is a keep for sure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Its my favorite of all thumbprint recipes

After reading all the complaints I decided to add 1/2 cup of brown sugar and a splash of vanilla. They were sooo good! I used blackberry, apple, and apricot jam, and lemon curd. I found that the amount of fruit flavor was directly proportional to the quality of the jam. I made them bite-size and they only took about 10 minutes to bake. Took them to a football party and the guys ate every single one. I will have to make a batch topped with maraschino cherries, just like Mom used to = )

I've been making these for the past 2 years and I always get such rave reviews! So many people that out of all 7 varieties of Christmas cookies I make, these are their favorite. This year, I might switch things up a little and make half apricot and half raspberry filled.

These have a great flavor....especially on day 3 the cream cheese really comes out. I used the back of a melon baller to make the indentation and used a medium pampered chef scoop. I did not chill the dough as it was easy to work with immediately after mixing. My husband and kids enjoyed these so much that I'm making more - this time with Blackberry jam and Cherry preserves. May have to try the almond extract with this combination.

First of all, I don't cook much, and this recipe was easy enough for me to handle. Secondly, I made a few small changes, based on ideas of my own and other reviews, and I think they came out great! As someone else mentioned, I used 2 packages of cream cheese. I also used 2 sticks of salted and 1 stick of unsalted butter. Rather than white flour, I used whole wheat, and I also added about a teaspoon of nutmeg to the dough. Rather than any kind of preserves for filling, I used a very simple cranberry jelly recipe (1 bag cranberries + 12 oz. water + 1/3 cup brown sugar -- boil water and sugar until dissolved, add cranberries and stir until all are burst and the skins come off). The end result is subtle and hearty (thanks, mainly, to the whole wheat flour). The mildly-sweet cookies offset the tartness of the cranberry nicely. Thanks for this great recipe!!

These are absolutely delicious. I made them 3 times so far and they have been wonderful. The last time I made them I put apricot preserves and prune filling as in rolled kolache.

Very nice cookie. Softer than most thumbprints. Really enjoyed the addition of the lemon juice and zest. Did some with raspberry jam, and they, too, were delicious.

This recipe is a definite keeper! I am an avid baker and often rely on the ratings of others before I will bring it to the table for my family. Since this was rated so highly, I gave it a try and made a few changes. I followed the advice of others and rolled these in powdered sugar to make for easier handling. I also used cherry preserves and when cooled, I made a powdered sugar glaze with milk and added a teaspoon of almond extract to it. The cherry and almond flavoring combo was divine. I also made the other half of the batch using apricot preserves and also drizzled the almond glaze over these, too. What a delicious treat! They are a cross between a sugar cookie with glaze and a classic thumbprint with preserves. You will not be disappointed with these tender cookies. Tip: Use parchment paper when cooking so the preserves don't leak out on the sheet pan. Of course, this will only happen if you push down too much on the cookie for the jam insert. A teaspoon worked perfectly when I dipped it in powdered sugar to form the jam divot. Plus, using parchment deters the cookie from browning too much on the bottom.

These cookies are yummy. I made these last Christmas, and they were a big hit. They look so professional. They are some work to make, but it's worth it. Can't wait to make these again this Christmas.

Another cookie from this site that will be made over and over. I used raspberry seedless jam. MMMMMMMMmmm! I want to be helpful to others to suggest that the trick to the filling melting on to the baking sheet for myself was that the fillig is best to put in the cookie very cold, as it sits out to be room temp. it will bake over onto the sheet, when it remained chilled, it remained in the cookie, no spillage! thanks again for a wonderful cookie!

*Wonderful* cookies! I changed very little in this recipe. First I rolled my dough balls in powdered sugar to make the cookie part a little sweeter and I used a variety of jams in the middle to give a lot of color! I used blackberry, apricot, strawberry (my fave) and blueberry! they all tasted great!

Delicious! I made these to add to gift tins because I thought they would be pretty. They were also very good. I used apricot and also red raspberry preserves for a different color and flavor. Both were nice. The cream cheese makes the cookie very moist and creamy and the lemon gives a little extra zip.

In Law's favorites I made these the first year I hosted my In Laws for Christmas. Everyone loves them and they are the first cookie to go. Has become one of the cookie mainstays in the family. I've made them with different fillings, raspberry, strawberry, and apricot. These are consistently awesome.

Makes quite a few cookies

Awesome cookies! We pretty much followed the recipe, but made two changes. We left out the lemon zest (personal preference), and we followed other reviewer's advice by rolling the dough in powdered sugar before baking. We used raspberry, boysenberry and apricot jam, and we also put chocolate chips in the middle - minus the jam, and all were wonderful. And when they say it makes 7 dozen cookies, they are NOT kidding. Great recipe...thanks Mellan!

I have to agree with several of the other reviewers on here. The cookie is oddly fluffy and very bland. I even took into consideration that other people had said the cookie was bland and went heavy on the lemon zest. Still it was quite bland. I'll try to make a larger indent in the rest of the batch so that I can add more apricot jam, maybe that will help.

i absolutely love these cookies! theyre soft and not too sweet. all my friends and family loves them. ive probably made these cookies like over 20 times and they are great for holidays.

These are pretty good. I do like the flavor of them and I LOVE thumbprint cookies, but they do take a lot of effort and time. For that reason I don't make them that often, which is probably good for my health. ;o) I like the Almond and Raspberry Thumbprints on here a bit better but it's a good way to use up some cream cheese, and the apricot preserves are awesome. Apricot is one of my favorite fruit! I made the dough a few days ago then made them today. I rolled the dough into balls first, placing them on a pan so I would have them ready every time I pulled a batch out of the oven. Although sometimes I use a teaspoon to make the print, I used my thumb today. Be careful not to overfill your thumbprints or they will overflow and make a big mess. I put my preserves into a ziploc bag, then cut an opening in the corner so I can pipe it into the print. It's much less messy that way! 15 minutes were perfect for mine. thanks for the recipe!

I made these and drizzled them with a light frosting of milk/almond extract and confectioners sugar. Made them two days in a row by the dozens of dozens and people at work couldn't get enough of them. I was called evil for bringing something so delicious in to work that the girls starting their new years diets couldn't resist them!! Only thing I changed was to add a little vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract instead of the zest. Then I rolled them in confectioners sugar to keep them from sticking. No need to add extra flour they turn out way better and lighter if you don't.

I used red raspberry jam instead and these cookies turned out great.

I made these cookies as printed and used strawberry perserves they were really good. I would say the smaller cookies turned out better than the larger ones.

Have been making these every year since I found the recipe here! Definately a FAV!

I added this recipe to my 'Recipe Box' in December 2007 and have made them every Christmas since! They are a must have Christmas cookie in our home. The flavors are subtle, the cookies stay soft and moist and they are just so pretty. We do lots of different jams: strawberry, apricot, raspberry, black cherry, blueberry, anything really! My husband is a vegan so I've been making this vegan all these years with soy cream cheese & Earth Balance margarine and they come out perfect every time. The only real changes I've made to the recipe over the years is to add extra lemon zest and about a TBSP of vanilla. The sprinkle of confectioner's sugar after they cool is a must, it really makes them so pretty. Thanks for such a perfect cookies recipe!

This is a cookie that I used to bake with my mom but couldn't find the recipe. This one is perfect and exactly how I remembered it! I also use rasberry preserves to make 2 different colors for the cookies. Great recipe!

These made some good lookin' cookies; not to mention very tasty too. The all around favorite was a good lemon curd filling; I tested these on a bunch of construction workers - Pile Drivers Local 34. I also made Apricot; Guava Butter; Orange; and Strawberry. They were so pretty all together.

One of our favorite cookies. Make it with rhubarb strawberry jam too -- yum!

this was the first time i made this recipe and got 7 1/2 dozen cookies, using a level T. per cookie dough...next time, i won't chill the dough too long, as it made it too hard to form cookies...i like to bake on parchment paper, as you don't have to grease the pan and the cookies come off easily and no clean-up....will definitely make again.

Butter + cream cheese + apricot ALWAYS = delicious! The dough was a little too sticky and the first batch didn't hold their shape, but after adding a little more flour they worked out perfect.

I used 11/4 cup butter and margarine and I also used Neufchatel cheese to cut the fat a little. I added 1 tsp of vanilla and used strawberry preserves. They do seem like little biscuit cookies, but adding the lemon juice and vanilla make them a cookie. They are nice and soft. I was generous w/ the preserves! They were very good. This was the first time I made thumbprint cookies.

Another yummy recipe. I used apricot and blackberry jam. Make some with a chocolate chunk in the middle and some with walnuts and pecans. I left the rest plain and ate those myself. Baked on parchment paper and they were perfect. The paper also keeps the jam off your pans. Fine recipe.

Absolutely delicious. I used apricot, lemon curd, guava, strawberry and mixed berries as the fillings. All turned out perfectly. The only problem is you will need to double the batch because these little darlings will go fast.

This recipe is awesome. I rolled the cookie balls in pecans before making the thumbprint and I think it made the cookie even better. This cookie has been stealing the show from all the other cookies on my Christmas cookie trays this year.

These cookies were great!!! They were very cakey and moist. I used raspberry jam. Delicious!!!

I made these for christmas and they were very good. I used raspberry jam instead of the apricot, any flavor jam would be good.

Love the fluffy texture of this cookie! It is also very tasty and melts in your mouth. I like that it is not very sweet, however, I do plan on adding a small amount more of sugar on the next batch. Not a lot more... just a little. Agree that cold dough makes for the nicest texture for handling and also for the finished product.

I panicked this year because I lost my copy of this recipe but luckily found it again on this website. I make this every year, it is a wonderful cookie. It reminds me of the Hungarian Kolachky without all of the work of rolling and cutting the dough. I did find using apricot pastry filling instead of jam worked much better, the filling didn't run all over when baked. Other than that this recipe is perfect.

Lovely cookie, it is light and very tasty. It really did make a nice addition to the platter. I rolled some of them in coconut. I doubled the recipe and used an assortment of fillings. The cookies looked like jewels on my trays. Thanks for sharing Mellan.

Took some time but they turned out nice.Never did brown up on top.

This was a hit at the office! It is simple to make and very pretty.

these are the best thumbprints I've ever had. I did increase the lemon juice to 3 tablespoons and the lemon zest to about 2-1/2 teaspoons. I did not change anything else. Perfect! For variety, I rolled some in decorative white crystalized sugar and filled with orange marmalade, Solo Apricot filling, or Solo Raspberry filling. Just wonderful.

These are excellent! I burned the first batch using a regular cookie sheet. They came out fine when I switched to clay cookie sheets. I used peach jam that I preserved this past summer and the cookies were fantastic!

I was disappointed. The cookie wasn't sweet enough for us. To me, they tasted just like biscuits with jam. Which is fine, but I was expecting a cookie, not a biscuit.

These were a hit and a beautiful addition to my cookie tray! My Dad said these were the best thumbprints he ever had (must be the cream cheese!). What a nice fun dough to work too with even if it was a little sticky (I wet my hands as others suggested when rolling). I halved the recipe and found even when I rolled very small balls I still got many nice sized cookies since they puffed while baking. My only change was to roll the dough balls in finely chopped pecans before pressing in the circle because the first batch just looked too plain. I will definitely be making these babies again! Thanks!

These were okay, but not what I really wanted. They are ALMOST a shortbread cookie, but not quite anything else either! Nice texture, but you need filling for sure! We tried several diff preserves, and the best was orange marmalade - it added a nice tart balance to the cookie. I dusted them with the confectioners sugar - it helps them to not all stick together in the jar! Would I make them again? I really doubt it - the results are not worth the ingredients it takes. But they do look nice on a tray! : )

This is a great recipe. I tried variations, I rolled the 1 inch balls in finely chopped almonds then used apricot preserves(it tasted good), then I rooledthem in finely chopped walnuts with stawberry and that was awesome! The only thing I found was my cookies didn't have any hint of lemon whatsoever; I used the lemon ppel in the jar instead of fresh. Giselle

This was awesome. I love Kolacky but don't love the work involved rolling out the dough, this was a great substitute, so easy and so good!

This is THE cookie!! I don't know why anyone would say it's too bland. It's the perfect soft cookie that compliments the apricot jam to the "T"!! I can't wait to visit my father-in-law next week. I've just finished baking up a huge batch for him and he will LOVE them. THANKS!!!

Very quick and easy to make, and they work out quite well as pressed cookies. The lemon juice and zest makes them way too tart, though. Next time I'm going to leave it out; I'll revise this review at that time.

I just tried this recipe and my family loved it. I had to leave out the lemon juice and zest because my granddaughter is allergic, but I just added almond and vanilla extracts. I also made about half of them with cherry preserves. Luscious!! Merry Christmas to all! (And thanks for sharing, Mellan)

I made these for the first time this weekend. My son love them. I think they are quite tasty and a welcome change to all the chocolate and "dark" cookies. I used raspberry jelly also and they were just as good. I will definitely make them again. I love the cream cheese and butter flavor mixed . . . I didn't have lemon zest so just used the lemon juice. Thanks for putting these on the cookie countdown . . . I never would have found them.

These were good, and easy to make. They reminded my hubby, and I of biscuits with jelly. We both agreed that they're awesome with coffee in the morning. Thanx for sharing!!

Like many others, I used apricot as well as raspberry preserves and they were great. The lemon juice and zest really don't make them "lemony"; my husband couldn't even tell! Definitely a recipe I'll make for parties. Very easy to make the dough ahead and keep chilled till you're ready.

I made these, last year for Christmas, just to add color to my cookie plate. But they were really good!! Everyone loved them! I used raspberry jam, though, instead of apricot. Delicious!

Amazing! I made a mistake and doubled the cream cheese and they actually turned out even better! Moist and delicious! Try using tart preserves; it offsets the sweetness of the cookie and gives it a nice kick. My new favourite!

I tried this recipe yesterday.The cookies turned out great.I don't have any left.Everyone loved them.

Instead of using apricot preserves I instead made some lemon curd and used that with fantastic results. So tender, moist, and absolutely delicious! I did cut the baking time down to 13 minutes as I found 15 to be a little too long.

This was a terrific thumbprint recipe. It was a tender dough and easy to work with. I added vanilla powder to it...1 tsp..and a pinch of salt. I found it worked best to chill for about 2 hrs. I, also, used cherry preserves with the apricot. The powdered sugar was a nice touch..like snow.

I love this recipe! I find it just sweet enough without being overly sweet. I made it with almond extract and cherry preserves which made for a very lovely holiday cookie. This is definitely going to be part of my holiday cookie rotation!

Like some of the reviewers said, these cookies are rather bland and more like shortbread texture. It made a huge batch of large size cookies. My daughter said she would like the cookies if they had more filling. The recipe itself is good. It is just not pleasing my taste.

I made these for a cookie exchange - they were so good and pretty! Looked like a Pepperidge Farm cookie.

I love these cookies! i made some with apricot preserves and some with strawberry. Delicious!!

I was a little disappointed in these cookies, seeing as they had such rave reviews. They were fairly dry and bland, perhaps I did something wrong. Also, I tried a million different ways, but I could not get the thumbprint to stay a thumbprint. And I have been very successful with different recipes in the past. The cookies rose to a ball-like shape every time, looking exactly like a bagel.

Delicious - They were on the plate - now they are gone. Fast easy preparation - I didn't make any adjustments.

My mom made these for my Christmas cookie exchange last year and they were fabulous. Very, very good!

This was by far the best cookie I have ever had. My son and I were eating them right from the oven. Even after they cooled, we kept on eating!!!!!

These cookies are very good. I forgot to add almond & vanilla extracts but they were still tasty. We did roll in powdered sugar & some in coconut before baking. We used alot of homemade apricot & strawberry jam in these & we found out if you use too much, there's more on the sheet than in the cookie after baking. Next time we'll try pie filling for the center(s).

Just ok, bland, biscuit like texture. They also get stale very quickly. Argo cornstarch thumbprint cookies have a much nicer texture and flavor.

Best after sitting a few days in an airtight container. I added about 2x the lemon zest suggested, just for more flavor, and it really perks up the dough, though it still has a subtle taste. Don't expect these to be "in your face" cookies. Used cherry preserves as well as apricot, both delicious.

This was a great recipe! I mixed it up a bit and used blackcurrant jam in half of the cookies and apricot in the rest. The only flaw was that I had to turn up the heat to 200C for them to cook properly. Otherwise perfect cookies that my family and friends devoured...!

The recipe and several reviews suggest different jams and fillings I tried a mince meat filling. It worked really well. If your looking for variety in your fillings you might want to give mincemeat a try.

A bit dry, not very sweet. A good tea cookie but not going to be really popular with the kids.

I made these for work and everyone loved them. They are nice because the are not super sweet but very buttery. I used raspberry and strawberry preserves but will use apricot next. I followed the recipe except I didn't have lemon juice but they were still fantastic.

So easy and delicious. I use different preserves. Blueberry is the best.

Oops! I forgot to rate the recipe and just wrote the comments below. This is my rating.

This is a christmas cookie staple. Loved em.

Very disappointing! Flat, tastless and bland. 4 1/2 cups of flour is an awful lot for the relatively small amount of butter ...will notmake again.