Raisin Filled Cookies (Old-Fashioned Family Recipe)
Soft, buttery cookies filled with a sweet, jammy mixture of raisins, dates, and nuts. This cherished holiday cookie recipe came from my late mother-in-law, Dottie, and has been a family favorite for generations.
Servings: 36 (About 3 dozen)
Ingredients
Cookie Filling:
- 2 cups raisins
- 12-16 dates chopped
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- ¾ cups water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans chopped
Dough:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 egg
- ½ cup milk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cookie Filling:
- Mix all the above ingredients and cook until thick but be sure to stir to prevent burning. Cool before putting onto the cookies.
Dough:
- Cream the sugar and shortening. Add the beaten egg and milk.
- Into this creamed mixture, sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the vanilla and mix well.
- Roll out dough on floured surface until thin and cut with round cookie cutter or canning jar ring.
Assemble and bake cookies:
- Drop a tablespoon of the filling in the center of the rounds and top with another cookie round. Crimp the edges with a fork by pressing the two rounds together.
- Puncture each cookie with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Notes
- Don’t like raisins? Swap them for dried cranberries or blueberries for a fun twist.
- A regular-size canning jar ring works perfectly as a cookie cutter for the dough circles.
- Make sure the filling is completely cooled before assembling the cookies to prevent leaks.
- Freeze dough and filling separately for easy make-ahead holiday baking.
Nutrition
Calories: 179kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg