In the bowl of a stand mixer or using an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Mix in the egg yolk, almond extract and salt until fully combined.

Add in the flour and mix on low speed until well combined. You’ll have something that looks like crumbs. If you want to use your hands to form a dough, you can, but I just weighed out the 20 grams from the bowl. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking or frozen for up to 3 months.

Roll into sixteen 1-inch balls (about 1 tablespoon or 20 grams each). Place the balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet (this will not go in the oven) or dish that will fit in your freezer.

Use your pinky finger to create a heart shape in each cookie. Press gently but firmly to form a wide indent, making sure not to press through the dough. Fill each heart-shaped indent with about 1/2 teaspoon of jam. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze the cookies for 30 minutes to help them retain their shape during baking. Preheat your oven to 350 ° F (175 °C) while they chill.

Remove the cookies from the freezer and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.

Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are set and the bottoms are lightly golden.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for a week. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag