1cupunsalted butter at room temperature (2 sticks)
1cupgranulated sugar
2eggs
1tspvanilla extract
1Tbspalmond extract
3cupsall-purpose flour
½tspbaking soda
1tspsalt
Instructions
Cream the butter: beat it in a mixer for about 30 seconds, until it turns a pale yellow color. Scrape it down from the sides of the bowl, add the sugar, and beat again about 2 minutes, until it is soft and almost white. Scrape the bowl again. Add eggs and both extracts. Beat at medium speed about 30 seconds, until it has the consistency of mashed potatoes. Stop and scrape again.
Add the flour and mix on low speed about 30 seconds. Scrape bowl again. Mix a little more, until the dough sticks together and there are no streaks of unblended flour.
Chill the dough for at least 2 hours. To make well ahead, the dough may be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for several months.
AT BAKING TIME
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Roll the dough into balls a little bigger than an inch in diameter, or use a 1-ounce cookie scoop to form them. Put the balls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment-paper lined cookies sheet, and press a crater into each one. Drop a bit of jam into each indentation.
Bake 10-13 min, until the cookies are just beginning to brown. Let cool on a rack – the cookies are fragile and bendable until they are fully cool.