Preheat & prep
Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats so the cookies lift off easily.

Cream the base
In a mixer fitted with the paddle (or using a hand mixer and a large bowl), beat the softened butter with the sugar and the baking powder on medium speed until the mixture becomes pale and airy — roughly 3–4 minutes.

Add the wet flavorings
Scrape down the bowl, then mix in the egg until it’s fully incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat briefly until smooth and uniform.

Bring in the flour
Turn the mixer to low and slowly add the flour in stages. Stop mixing as soon as the dough comes together — you want it combined but not overworked to keep the cookies tender.

Shape and make the wells
Roll portions of dough into balls about 1 inch across. Space them around 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets. Press a shallow well into the center of each ball with your thumb or the rounded back of a spoon so there’s room for the filling.

Fill and bake
Spoon jam into each indentation — the recipe uses about 1 cup total for the batch; a little extra in each well helps account for spreading. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through so they brown evenly.

Cool and finish
Let the baked cookies rest on the sheet for a few minutes so they set, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, the jam will firm up and the cookies are ready to serve.