Guest Blogger: A Winnipeg Tradition

 I love baking blogs, I love cookies and I love tea parties. However, I cannot bake. That's where my sister comes in. Today I bring you: a guest post by my lovely sister. Enjoy! xxx, Shopahallic.

imperial cookies. enough said. 

Spring is in the air. Even in Winnipeg where there is still snow on the ground, the days are longer and the sun is brighter signaling the onset of a new season. One can't help but be inspired to incorporate a fresh, spring-like approach to everything - fashion, home design, and my personal favorite, baking. 

To me, there is nothing more delicious than imperial cookies. These buttery, icing-laden, jam-filled treats are well-known to Winnipeggers as they tease us from the shelves of every local bakery and coffee shop. I was always scared to bake them myself, perhaps worrying that I wouldn't be able to re-create the perfection of my favorite haunts, like High Tea Bakery. But with a lazy Saturday stretching in front of me, I realized it was the perfect day to try. 

One problem? It was next to impossible to find a recipe. It truly seems like imperial cookies are unique to Winnipeg. So I settled on using a shortbread recipe and experimented for the rest.  

To my surprise and delight, they worked out perfectly! 

enjoy.

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure almond extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup raspberry jam 

2 cups icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons hot water

• Pre-set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream butter. Add sugar, cream well. Beat in eggs, vanilla and almond extract. 
• In separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder. 
• Gradually add flour to the creamed mixture, add milk towards the end. 
• Divide the dough into four parts. Roll each part to 1/8 inch thickness. (I rolled the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper because the dough was quite crumbly at first). Cut out dough into 2 inch rounds and place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. 
• Spread jam onto half of the cookies (the thicker the better!)and top with remaining cookies. 
• Mix icing sugar with vanilla and almond extracts. Add the hot water as needed until you have a thin, spreadable icing. Frost cookies with icing.