Linzer cookies

Makes 12 sandwich cookies, or 24 cookies

The first time I had a linzer cookie was from this bakery in Toronto called HotBlack Coffee. My partner and I became obsessed. Every time we get a chance to visit, it’s one of the first places we go for coffee and treats. I’m still trying to get close to that taste, but this recipe from King Arthur is a great starting point (recipe here).

ingredients

• 170g (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 99g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
• 160g (1 1/3 cups) all purpose flour
• 72g (3/4 cup) almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• raspberry jam

steps

1. In a stand mixer bowl, add butter, sugar, and cinnamon and mix the ingredients together on a slow speed
2. Once creamed together, add egg yolk and vanilla extract into the bowl, and mix until all ingredients are incorporated on a slow speed
3. Scrape the mixing bowl down and start the mixing bowl again on a slow speed
4. Slowly add in the all purpose flour, almond flour, and sea salt into the mixing bowl until all ingredients are fully mixed together
5. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour
6. After the dough has chilled, lightly dust a clean counter with some all purpose flour
7. Transfer the chilled dough onto a counter and roll out dough to 1/4” thickness (~0.6cm)
8. Using a circle cookie cutter, cut out cookies and transfer circles to a parchment lined sheet
9. The remaining dough from the cookie cut outs can be combined and re-rolled to create more cookie cut outs. If the dough becomes too soft to handle, combine and pop the dough back in the fridge again for about 10-15 minutes before handling again
10. Repeat step 8 until you run out of dough – this number can change depending on the size of your circle cookie cutter
11. For half of the cookies, take a smaller sized cookie cutter and make a cut out in the center
12. Preheat the oven to 350F/180C
13. While the oven is preheating, transfer cookie pans into the fridge
14. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly brown on top
15. For the cookies with no cut out – take the raspberry jam and spread on the back side of the cookie
16. For the cookies with a cut out –
    1. Optional: lightly dust cookie tops with powdered sugar
    2. Sandwich the cut out cookie with the cookie with raspberry jam
17. Repeat steps 15 and 16 for the remaining cookies

notes

• For a crispier cookie, feel free to roll out the dough even thinner than suggested above. Just note that baking time will be shorter