Grandma Rose's Diagonal Cookies

Christmas cookie recipes are plentiful, Diagonals are an adaptation of a recipe written by Rose Naftalin, a Russian immigrant, whose father passed away two years after their arrival in the US. Rose was a self taught baker that wanted to satisfy her husband, a lover of fine foods, who also died a short time after they opened their own Delicatessen during the Great Depression. Rose kept baking, supporting herself and children with Rose's Fine Food Shop.  Her food and baking gaining fans all over the nation, Rose finally retired after working 20 hour days.  She then wrote, "Grandma Rose's Book of Sinfully Delicious Cakes, Cookies, Pies...", as well as many other compilations of her recipes. I strongly recommend this cookbook.




Grandma Rose's Diagonal Cookies
Shortcake Cookie
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup each Raspberry Seedless Jam, Apricot Jam ; and Solo brand Almond Filling

Icing
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 1/4- 1/2 tsp milk ( Should be thick not runny)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease cookie sheet.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolk, flour and sugar. Mix completely,  roll dough into three parts, wrap in plastic wrap and cool for an hour.



Roll out one third of dough to about 1/4 inch thick in a long somewhat rectangular shape. (At first dough will be hard to roll out, but quickly become very pliable. Floor rolling pin as needed) Using a knife cut out  a long rectangle. Cut down the middle lengthwise making two 1 inch wide strips; saving irregular dough you cut off.  With a spatula carefully place strips on cookie sheet. Using leftover dough add and pinch a border of dough on each side of strip. (If you are short, I have illustrated how to use scraps to pinch into a border)

Fill between two sides of cookie with jam or almond filling.  Each 1/3 of dough will create 2 strips. Repeat steps with last two dough balls, one at a time.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until just golden brown. Let cool completely.  Drizzle with icing. Cut diagonally.
Makes about 60 cookies.
Enjoy!