Sugar Plum Cookies

Directions

1. 1

   In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Beat in eggs, lemon zest and vanilla. Add sour cream. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture.

2. 2

   With lightly greased hands, roll dough into 3/4-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350° for 13-15 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks.

3. 3

   While cookies are warm, use a sharp knife and small spoon to cut and scoop out about 1/2 teaspoon of crumbs from the bottom of each cookie; set crumbs aside for filling. Cool cookies completely.

4. 4

   In a small bowl, combine the filling ingredients; stir in reserved crumbs. Spoon into two cookies; spread a thin amount of filling on cookie bottoms and press together to form a plum. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling.

5. 5

   To decorate, pour 1/3 cup simple syrup into two bowls. Add purple food coloring to one bowl, and red food coloring to the other. Place purple sugar in another shallow bowl. Working with one cookie at a time, quickly dip one half in the purple mixture and the other half in the red mixture. Blot on paper towel if needed to remove excess liquid, then immediately roll in purple sugar. Place on a wire rack to dry for 1 hour.

6. 6

   Dip mint leaves in remaining 1/4 cup simple syrup, shaking off excess. Dip in sugar on both sides. Let stand on wire racks until dry, about 1 hour. Attach mint leaves to the top of each cookie with additional jam.