Once you've tasted the delicate caramel flavor turbinado sugar lends to one of the world's most perfect cookies, there's no going back.

Hawaiian Sugar Shortbread Cookies

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, chilled
6 1/2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup turbinado sugar, or more for rolling
1/4 cup fruit preserves, preferably pineapple or mango (or raspberry)

1. Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C) at least 20 minutes before baking. Place oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.
2. Cut butter into 1-inch cubes and refrigerate. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process sugar for 1 minute or until very fine. Add butter and pulse until sugar disappears. Add flour and pulse until pieces are moist and crumbly with no dry flour particles.
3. Empty dough into plastic bag and press together. Remove dough and place on large piece of plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to knead dough lightly until it holds together. Wrap dough tightly and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for several hours until dough is firm enough to handle.
4. Measure 2 level teaspoons of dough and roll into a 1-inch ball. Roll ball in sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. Place on ungreased baking sheets at least 1 inch apart. Flatten slightly and gently use handle of wooden spoon or back of teaspoon to make a round indentation in each cookie. Bake 45 minutes until cookies are pale golden color. Cool cookies on rack.
5. Fill resealable plastic bag with fruit preserves; squeeze out air and close bag tightly. Snip off 1/4-inch triangle from one corner of bag. Squeeze approximately 1/2 teaspoon preserves in the middle of each cookie.

Makes 36 cookies.

Recipe provided courtesy of Sugar In The Raw.