Santa's Favorite Cookies - Butter Cookies which Southern Living chose to feature in their holiday section

Since 1954 these have been a tradition at our home and were served at Murphy Tractor Company during the holidays. My mother cooked batches and sent to us when we were away at school, as they are even better a few days later if they last that long. My brother, John, played football at UT, and she had to make a lot of cookies when she sent them to him – the Tennessee team anxiously awaited his care package, and of course he shared. Southern Living selected this recipe to feature in a holiday section several years ago.

 Butter Cookies

3/4 pound butter
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
Flour to make soft dough ( 2 to 2-1/2 cups depending on flour and amount of water in the butter)
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Add flour. Form into small balls (about 1-1/2”); place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press top with finger to make a small indenture, add small spoonful of strawberry preserves. Bake until light golden brown in a preheated 350 degree oven; don’t over bake. Remove from oven, let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove and store in an air tight container.