raisin filled spice cookies

Ingredients

• Servings: 15
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 1/2 teaspoons butter
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk

Recipe

• in a small saucepan, over medium heat, combine the 1/3 cup of sugar, water, raisins, butter and pinch of salt. bring ingredients to a boil, and cook until thick, you should be able to see the bottom of the pan while stirring when finished. remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c).
• sift together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, salt and baking powder, set aside. in a medium bowl, cream shortening and sugar until smooth. stir in the eggs and vanilla. add dry ingredients, mix until blended, then finally stir in the milk.
• on a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thickness. cut into 2 1/2 inch circles. place a teaspoon of filling the center of half of the cookies. cover with the other half of the cookies. press the edges together with the tines of a fork. sprinkle with sugar and bake on unprepared cookie sheets for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven.