Orange (zest) Sugar Cookies

By srumbel

Linzer Cookies are traditionally made with almond shortbread and filled with raspberry preserves, but because I wanted a softer textured cookie and strawberry preserves, I opted to use my favorite, trusted sugar cookie recipe and organic strawberry jam (my dad's favorite!). And because my dad LOVED Fig Newton Cookies, I filled several with Fig Butter! They were so pretty . . . and even tasted like Fig Newtons. He would've loved them!
from simplysuzannesathome.com

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• zest of 1 small orange
• 1 egg, room temperature
• strawberry jam for filling, or whatever jam flavor strikes your fancy
• sanding sugar for sprinkling
• powder sugar (instead of flour) for rolling out dough

Preparation

Step 1

To make the dough: Beat the butter, sugar, and zest until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed, about 3 minutes. Add the yolk and vanilla and beat until combined.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Don't over-beat.

Divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

To assemble: On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough out about 1/8"-thick. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer hearts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the scrap dough, roll, and repeat. Place the cut cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

While the first half of cookies is chilling, cut hearts from the remaining dough. Once you've transferred these cookies to a baking sheet, use your smallest heart-shaped cookie cutter to make a peekaboo cutout in the center of each. Sprinkle tops with sanding sugar. Place cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.

To bake: Bake all of the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

To fill the cookies: Place the sugar topped cookies with the holes in them on a cookie sheet. Turn the remaining cookies flat side up and spoon 1/2 teaspoon of jam into the center, spreading it slightly, and leaving a 1/4" border. Top with the sugar-topped cookies.