Italian Butter Cookies

Instructions

Make the cookies: Heat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and well combined. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt and beat to combine, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the flour and mix just until it disappears. Fit a piping bag with a medium French star tip (I use the Ateco 866) and pipe the dough into ½-inch-wide, 1¾ to 2-inch-long segments, spaced about 1 inch apart. A knife or scissors to snip off each cookie gives a clean finish. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until golden at the edges. Cool completely on the pans.

Assemble: Place your jam in a sandwich bag — don't snip the corner until you're ready to use it. Spread the sprinkles in a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Melt the chocolate in the microwave or a small saucepan until three-quarters melted, then stir to melt the rest — this prevents burning. Transfer to a bowl deep enough for dipping. Flip half the cookies over to become the bottoms. Snip a small corner off the jam bag and pipe a thin line down the center of each flipped cookie, being careful not to overfill. Sandwich with the remaining cookies. Dip each sandwich a third to half of the way into the chocolate, letting the excess drip off before rolling in sprinkles. Return to the lined pans to set — 5 minutes in the freezer speeds this up.

Do ahead: Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.