SANDWICHED SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg yolk
2 cups Pillsbury BEST All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 cups any flavor preserves
1/4 cup powdered sugar

In large bowl, combine sugar, butter, cream cheese, lemon peel, salt, almond extract, vanilla and egg yolk; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours for easier handling.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

On lightly floured surface, roll out 1/3 of dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated.) Cut with floured 2 1/2 inch fluted round cookie cutter.

Place half of cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Cut 1-inch shapes from centers of remaining cookies. Place cookies and small cutouts 1 inch apart separate ungreased cookie sheets.*

Bake at 375 degrees F. For small cookies, bake 6 minutes; for large cookies, bake 7 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheets. Cool 5 minutes or until completely cooled.

*BAKING TIP:
Since the small cut-out centers take less time to bake than the cookies, arrange the centers together on one baking sheet and bake them separately from the cookies. The cut-out centers can be sprinkled over ice cream. For extra color, sprinkle them with colored sugar before baking.

**TO FILL THE COOKIES:
Spread bottom of each whole cookie with about 1 teaspoon preserves. Sprinkle powdered sugar over cookies with cut-out centers. To make each sandwich cookie, place one powdered sugar cookie over preserves on whole cookie.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP:
The baked cookies can be frozen before being filled. Make them into sandwich cookies just before serving time.

HIGH ALTITUDE (ABOVE 3500 FEET):
Increase flour to 2-1/4 cups. Bake as directed above.

Makes 4 dozen
Adapted from source: Pillsbury Classic Cookbook #213, November 1998