Strawberry Almond Cookies

i drove all around town yesterday looking for local strawberries. i saw this recipe in prevention magazine and wanted to make them with homemade strawberry jam. however, not even coming home empty handed could deter me from making these cookies. i used crofter's just fruit organic strawberry spread instead of homemade. i'm sure ripe, local, in season strawberries would have yielded a better cookie but these were still pretty good.

they remind me of a variation on my grandmother's thumbprint cookies. of course hers are tastier because they have lots of wonderful pure butter in them. these are a decent substitute though. the almonds made for a crumbly base and the addition of a little vanilla was just the flavor boost these cookies needed. here is my revised recipe:

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Strawberry Almond Cookies
adapted from jazzy jam cookies in prevention magazine
(makes 18 cookies)

1 c raw almonds 
1/4 c sucanat
1/4 tsp salt
1 small egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 c no sugar added strawberry jam (or your favorite flavor)

preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

combine almonds, sucanat, and salt in food processor and process until almonds are finely ground.

add egg and vanilla and process until a paste forms.

spread onto parchment lined cookie sheet and form into a long log (about 12" long and 2" wide).

make an indentation down the middle with a wet thumb (this will hold the jam after baking).

bake for 13-15 minutes until lightly golden.

remove from oven and immediately add jam.

let cool 15 minutes them cut into 16-18 bars.

let cool completely and store in airtight container.

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in basically unimportant news, i can't help but share that it is now officially summer according to our dogs. they had their first of many swims on friday. this time was in the gunpowder. ahhh, a dogs life . . .