BUTTER COOKIES WITH JELLY RECIPES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Fit an 18-inch (or larger) pastry bag with an open star tip (such as Wilton 1M). If using disposable pastry bags, double bag them for more durability.
• Place the raspberry preserves in a small pastry bag or small resealable plastic bag and set aside. 
• Combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, orange extract and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl and paddle with a rubber spatula. 
• With the mixer running on low speed, add the egg then increase to medium speed and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl then add the flour and mix on low speed just until combined. Stir with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Transfer half of the dough to the 18-inch pastry bag. 
• Before piping the dough, use your finger to smear a tiny bit of the dough onto the corners of each baking sheet to help the parchment adhere. Pipe 5 round swirls of the dough, about 1 1/2 inches across, in 4 rows on one of the prepared baking sheets. Refill the pastry bag with the remaining dough and repeat the piping on the second prepared baking sheet. You should have about 40 cookies total.  
• Snip off a 1/4-inch opening on the bag with the raspberry preserves. Squeeze about 1/4 teaspoon of the preserves in the center of each cookie. 
• Bake, rotating and switching the positions of the baking sheets halfway through, until the cookies are golden, 24 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheets. 

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar thoroughly; add egg, vanilla and almond extract and mix well. Add flour, mixing only until flour is combined. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie dough into a large pastry bag fitted with a large star tube. Holding the pastry bag at a 90 degree angle, pipe 2" size logs onto pieces of aluminum foil cut to fit cookie sheets. Position cookies approximately 1" apart. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, cookies should still be pale. Repeat, using remaining dough. You can bake two cookies sheets at a time, alternating sheets midway through baking time. When done, slide aluminum foil off cookie sheets and leave cookies on foil until cool.
• When cookies are cool, spread approximately one teaspoon of jam on bottom of cookie, top with another cookie, trying to match the size as much as possible. Place cookies on waxed paper or foil, cover and leave several hours before proceeding to decorate with chocolate.
• When ready to decorate, melt chocolate chips with shortening on top of a double boiler, or place in a small crockpot. When chips are melted, stir well. Dip one end of cookie sandwich into chocolate, scrape extra chocolate off the bottom of the cookie, and place on rack; continue to dip some cookies, then go back to the first few cookies, and sprinkle with colored sprinkles. This method prevents the sprinkles from sinking too deep into the melted chocolate.
• Store in an airtight container one week.