Empire Cookies

My friend and I have wanted to make Empire cookies for awhile.  Here is the result of our baking;

 

Recipe courtesy of All Recipes

Ingredients
- 2 cups butter, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup raspberry preserves
- 24 maraschino cherries
- 8 cups icing sugar
- 1/2 cup milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth.  Gradually stir in the flour until well blended.  On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut into rounds using a cookie cutter.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven.  Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.  Sandwich one tsp. of jam between two cookies.  Repeat with remaining cookies.   In a medium bowl, gradually stir the milk into the icing sugar until the icing is a spreadable consistency.  Spread on top of the sandwiched cookies.  Top each cookie with half of a cherry while the icing is still wet.

makes about 4 dozen.

*For the icing it is easier if its thicker, also I added a little bit of almond extract.

Enjoy!