Filled Cookies

One of my favorite recipes since Terry was a baby. A neighbor, Louise Green, found it in the Good Housekeeping magazine and shared it with me. It makes a very soft cookie, especially when using pineapple filling.
- Jeanne "Grammy"

INGREDIENTS

5 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup soft shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup thick sour cream

Pineapple filling

6 Tbsp. granulated sugar
4½ tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. Lemon juice
1½ cups canned crushed pineapple

Date filling

2 (7½ oz. pkg.) dates
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup orange juice

Mincemeat filling

¼ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. lemon juice
1½ cups canned or prepared packaged condensed mincemeat

INSTRUCTIONS

Oven temp: 425°
Time: 8 to 10 min.
Yield: 4 to 5 dozen

Sift together dry ingredients. Mix until creamy: sugar, shortening, eggs and vanilla. Mix in sour cream, then flour mixture, a little at a time. Chill until easy to handle.

Heat oven to 425°. On lightly floured, cloth-covered board, roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness; cut with 3-inch round, scalloped, or star cutter. Place half of rounds on ungreased cookie sheet; place a rounded teaspoon of filling on center of each. Top with remaining rounds, with centers cut out if desired. Press edges together with fingers or floured fork. Bake until golden.

Filling: Simmer all ingredients, stirring until thick. Cool.