Peanut-Butter “Ravioli” Cookies

By MaryEllen

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs water
• 3/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup peanuts for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

1. Into large bowl, measure first 7 ingredients and 2 tablespoons water. With mixer at low speed, beat ingredients until well mixed, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Shape dough into a ball; wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2. Prepare filling: In small bowl with spoon, mix peanut butter, confectioners’ sugar, and cinnamon; set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease large cookie sheet. Cut cookie dough into 4 pieces. On lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin roll one piece of dough into 10" by 10" square, keeping remaining dough refrigerated. With dull edge of knife, lightly mark dough into twenty-five 2" by 2 squares. Place a scant teaspoonful of peanut-butter filling in center of each square. On sheet of waxed paper, roll second dough piece into 11" by 11" square; invert dough over filling and peel off waxed paper.With fingers, press around filling and along edges. With pastry wheel or knife, cut through dough around filling to make twenty-five 2" by 2" cookies; place on cookie sheet.
4. In cup with fork, beat egg yolks with 1 tablespoon water. Brush each cookie with some beaten egg-yolk mixture; top with a peanut. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden. 1 With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough, filling, and egg-yolk mixture. Store cookies in tightly covered container to use up within 2 weeks. Makes 50.