Linzer Cookies

By dfallon

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup confectioners’ or glazing sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or 2 drops creamy hazelnut, almond or butter-pecan flavor
• 1 cup almond flour or hazelnut flour, toasted or plain; or pecan meal
• 2 1/4 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup seedless raspberry jam or apricot jam; or chocolate praline filling
• confectioners’ or glazing sugar, for dusting

Details

Servings 5

Preparation

Step 1

Beat together the butter, sugars, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and flavor. Mix in the nut flour, flour, and egg. Divide dough in half and wrap well. Refrigerate for 60 minutes, for easiest rolling.

Roll the dough 1/8-inch thick. Cut half the dough into shapes with a solid linzer cutter. Cut the other half of the dough with a cutter that has a design cut into the center. Transfer the cookies to an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges. Cool on a rack. Dust the cookies with cutout tops lightly with confectioners’ sugar.

Spread the solid cookies with 1/2 teaspoon of praline filling or jam. Place a cutout cookie on top. Let stand for several hours, until the filling is set.

CHOCOLATE PRALINE FILLING
5 ounces Hazelnut Praline Paste
6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate or 1 cup bittersweet chips

Melt the praline paste and chocolate together in a double boiler or in a microwave on low power, stirring until smooth. Cool to lukewarm before spreading on cookies.