Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Juice of 1/2 orange
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• Raspberry or apricot preserves, or Poppy Seed Filling, recipe follows, for filling
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup fresh poppy seeds* (see Cook's Note)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 to 5 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1/2 teaspoon of the juice
• 1 slightly beaten egg

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, zest, both juices and brandy until smooth. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until a sticky dough is formed. Wrap in plastic wrap, flatten into a disk and chill overnight.
2. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Working with about one quarter of the dough at a time and leaving the remaining in the refrigerator, roll on lightly floured surface a little less than 1/4-inch thick. Cut circles (or other fun shapes) using cookie cutters 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Place a spoonful of filling in center (about 1 teaspoon per cookie) and then pinch one side up. Turn and pinch second and then third to make a triangular shape. Leave a little bit of the filling showing at the top. For non-traditional shapes, use your imagination: tubular, squares, bite-size or even some flat cookies depressed in the center with a bit of filling there.
4. Place cookies on parchment paper on cookie sheet, brush with a little beaten egg for sheen and bake until nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Keep room temp in airtight container but consume within 3 to 4 days, tops.
6. Combine everything except the lemon zest and juice and the beaten egg into a saucepan and cook over moderate heat until thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir often. Add zest and juice. Take a bit of the filling and mix it into the beaten egg. Repeat, then mix the egg mixture into the pot of filling. Cool overnight.