Linzer Cookies Recipe
Elegant, jam-filled Linzer sandwich cookies can be made in any simple shape. They key is cutting a window out of the top cookie to showcase a dollop of bright red jam. You can find Linzer cookie cutter sets in gourmet stores, or create your own using a small circle or diamond cutter to make the peek-a-boo window.
Ingredients
| 2 1/4 | cups | cake flour |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | baking powder |
| 1 | teaspoon | cocoa (Dutch process is best) |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons | cinnamon |
| 1/2 | teaspoon | ground cloves |
| 3/4 | cup | butter, room temperature |
| 1/2 | cup | sugar |
| 1 | egg | |
| 2 | teaspoons | grated lemon zest |
| 1 1/2 | cups | ground toasted hazelnuts or hazelnut flour* |
| 3/4 | cup | good quality seedless raspberry preserves** |
| ~ | powdered sugar, for dusting | |
| *Start with about 2—2 ½ cups blanched whole hazelnuts to end up with 1 ½ cups after toasting and grinding. Both blanched whole hazelnuts and hazelnut flour can be found in fine grocery stores, gourmet shops and online.**If you can’t find seedless preserves, press the jam through a strainer to remove the seeds before using.
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Directions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cocoa, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg, lemon zest and vanilla, beating until incorporated.
- Add the ground hazelnuts followed by the flour mixture, blending until combined.
- Form the dough into two flat disks, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly flour a rolling surface and remove one disk from the freezer.
- Roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thick. (It’s best to roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper.)
- Place the dough (between parchment) in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
- Cut out “bottom” cookie shapes. Gather scraps and repeat.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet and again refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and bake for 12 minutes or until just golden brown.
- Cool on a wire rack.
- Repeat with the second disk, cutting “top” shapes. Cut a window in the center of each top to allow the jam to shine through.
- One all the cookies are baked and cooled, spread a layer of jam on the cookie bottoms.
- Cover with the cookie tops and press down slightly.
- Dust with powdered sugar, then spoon a dollop of additional jam into the center windows for a shiny bit of red.
Preparation Time:
about 2 1/2 hours, including one hour of downtime while the dough chills.
