Christmas Mock Thumbprints Fruit Bars

Directions

Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

Mix egg, milk, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl or a measuring cup.

Cream sugar with butter until lightened and smooth.

Beat egg mixture into creamed butter until just combined.

Add dry ingredients and beat until mixture begins to clump together, 18 to 20 seconds on lowest speed of electric mixer. Do not over mix. Or you can use hand to finish this step as well.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead gently to shape into a soft dough.

It can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 6 months.

Divide dough into eighth.

Roll a portion into a 12-inch log and place on prepared cookie sheet.

Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a deep indentation down the center of each log. But don’t overdo it, otherwise the bottom will be too thin, later once you cut, the bars will break.

Repeat with remaining dough, placing each log about 1½ inches apart.

Bake, remaking the indentation once during baking if you find it gets shallow.

Until cookies are golden, about 16 minutes.

Transfer to a cookie sheet to cool down a little bit.

Spoon 2 tablespoons jam per cookie down the center of each warm cookie.

Let stand until jam sets.

Cut each cookie diagonally into about 2-inch bars.