Makes 5 dozen
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup sour milk or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Blackberry, raspberry, or strawberry jam
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, cream the shortening and the sugars. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla; mix till smooth. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture. Cover and chill.
On a floured surface, roll the dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into 1½-inch rounds. Place 1 teaspoon of jam each on half the rounds; use the remaining rounds to top the jam-topped rounds. Lightly seal the edges with a fork. With a sharp knife, cut shallow crisscross slits in the tops of the cookies, to allow the steam to vent during baking.
Bake until golden, 10 to 15 minutes.