linzer cookies

Let's be naughty and save Santa the trip.

~ Gary Allan

Holiday cookie time! Jeff and I wanted something festive to make and eat while we were trimming our tree and listening to our xmas tunes (He can't stand Boney M - can you imagine?!).

I got the recipe for these lovely linzer cookies from the Barefoot Contessa, who had modified a shortbread recipe of Eli Zabar, a New York foodie.

linzer cookies
makes about a dozen (I halved the original recipe, so feel free to double it)

12 Tbs unsalted butter -- it's important that the butter is at room temperature
1/2 C sugar
1/2 teas vanilla
1 3/4 C flour
1/8 teas salt
1/2 C raspberry jam
confectioners' sugar, for dusting

In the bowl of an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment (I'm sure you don't have to use an electric mixture, but I won't bother to "translate" the instructions), mix together butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together flour and salt, then add them to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.

Dump onto a flour-dusted counter and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for about 30 mins.

Roll out the dough to about a 1/4-in thickness. The dough can be a little difficult to handle at this stage 'cause it's so crumbly, but I swear it is workable. Cut rounds. With half of the rounds, cut another shape from the middle of the round (I wish I had a fun mini cookie cutter for this...next time). Place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 mins.

Bake cookies for about 20 mins, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool completely. Dust the top of the the cut-out cookie with confectioner's sugar (a flour sifter works well). Spread jam on the flat side of each solid cookie and press together with the flat side of the sugared tops.