Jelly-filled stars shine brightly on any holiday cookie tray. Sieve powdered sugar and cocoa over the windowed top cookies, then sandwich them to the bottoms with a layer of shiny raspberry, cherry, or currant jelly.

Prep: 45 minutes   Bake: 6 minutes per batch   Stand: 1 hour   Oven: 375°

1 recipe Sugar Cookie Dough
Powdered sugar or powdered sugar and cocoa powder mixed (optional)
Red jelly or preserves (strawberry, raspberry, or currant)

1. Prepare Sugar Cookie Dough as directed.

2. On a lightly floured surface roll half the dough at a time until 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2- or 3-inch star cookie cutters, cut out pairs of star cookies. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using a smaller star cookie cutter, cut out center from half of the cookies. Reroll dough scraps; cut out more stars. Bake in a 375° oven for 6 to 8 minutes or just until edges begin to brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to a wire rack; cool completely.

3. Sift powdered sugar atop cookies with stars cut out (tops). Spread a thin layer of jelly or preserves (1 teaspoon) over bottoms of solid cookies. Sandwich together top and bottom cookies. Let cookies stand at least 1 hour before arranging in a gift jar. Makes about 3 dozen.

Per cookie: 178 cal., 9 g fat (4 g sat. fat), 22 mg chol., 80 mg sodium, 24 g carbo., 0 g fiber, 1 g pro.