Start by letting butter come to room temperature – I usually leave it out for about an hour. You want it soft enough that your finger leaves an indent when you press it, but not so soft it’s melting.

While the butter’s softening, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. This helps distribute the leavening evenly so you don’t get any weird salty or bitter spots in your cookies.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until it’s light and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes. Don’t rush this step! The mixture should turn slightly pale and look almost whipped. This creates tiny air pockets that make your cookies tender.

Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Then mix in the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula – there’s always butter hiding there!

Gradually mix in your flour mixture on low speed until just combined. The dough will be soft but not sticky. If it feels too sticky to handle, pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1-inch balls (about the size of a walnut). Place them on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.

Using your thumb or the back of a measuring spoon, make a deep indent in the center of each ball. The edges might crack a little – that’s totally fine! Just gently pinch them back together if they crack too much.

Fill each indent with about 1/2 teaspoon of raspberry jam. Don’t overfill or it’ll bubble over while baking. I like to use a small spoon or piping bag for neat filling.

Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes. Watch for the edges to turn just slightly golden – the centers will still look pretty pale. Don’t overbake or they’ll lose their soft texture!

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’re really delicate when hot), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once they’re completely cool, dust them with powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve. The contrast of the white sugar against the red jam makes them look extra pretty!