I’m heading up to the Bay Area to visit my family for Spring Break, but before I go I must leave you with these delicious White Chocolate Strawberry Sandwich Cookies.

Ingredients for peanut butter and jam cookies:

1 1/2 – cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 – cup butter (room temperature)

1 1/2 – cups sugar

1/2 – cup dark brown sugar (packed)

2 – eggs

1 – cup flour

1/4 – cup almond meal

1 – teaspoon baking powder

1/2 – cup jam (I use strawberry or fig….use the flavor of your choice)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit

In a mixer bowl add peanut butter and butter and mix to completely combine. Then add sugar and dark brown sugar and mix on medium speed for 4 to 6 minutes or until smooth.  Add in one egg at a time till incorporated.

In a small bowl add flour, almond meal, and baking powder. Give it a good stir to ensure all powders are combined.

Add flour mixture  to butter mixture and mix just till combined.

Line cookie sheet with baking mat or wax paper.

Using a tablespoon measure out a dough and drop into your hand an d roll each piece into a ball. Place each ball at least two inches apart.

Then gently press your thumb into the center of each cookie ball to create your dent to fill with jam.

Fill each cookie with 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes or until golden.  Let cool on cookie sheet for 8 minutes, then remove and place on rack for extra cooling. Makes 50 cookies.  Happy Holidays!

Snackas of the day: Raspberry Macaroons from Canter’s Delicatessen on Fairfax.  Their macaroon is unlike any other in the city.  The base is made of a soft sugar cookie then an almond paste is piped on top and a jewel of raspberry preserves sits dazzling in the middle.  When you bite the cookie it is soft on the bottom but has a crunch up top and a spread of raspberry that will please your tastebuds.  So delicious.  I don’t drive down Fairfax unless I am prepared to stop and buy my treasured raspberry macaroons, otherwise it’s too tempting.  Lucky for me, I bought a box full yesterday.

Photos taken by: Nicole Presley

Canter’s Raspberry Macaroon is one of my top 5 absolute favorite cookies in Los Angeles.