The holidays are when the bakers among us love to trot our their best cookies. This recipe from Brenda Kurczewski of Moon is such a stunner, it was among 75 selected from across the country for publication in “The Barnes & Noble Cookie Bake-Off” cookbook.
Made with raspberry jam and a sandy lattice pastry, the sandwich-like cookie is her version of Linzer sables. It’s nutty, spicy and butter all at the same time.
Be sure to mix the batter on low to avoid beating too much air into the butter and eggs. Like Kurczewski, I used homemade jam, but any high-quality jam will do.
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LINZER COOKIES
PG tested
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 jumbo egg
1 package (.32-ounce) vanilla sugar (Dr. Oetker preferred)
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour (King Arthur preferred)
1 cup ground hazelnuts or natural almonds (or a combination)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon high-quality cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
4 teaspoons raspberry schnapps
Raspberry jam for filling
Egg wash (1 egg yolk whisked with 2 tablespoons water)
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy, then gradually mix in the sugar until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg, the vanilla sugar, the vanilla extract and the lemon zest. Gradually beat in the flour, ground nuts, salt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, allspice and raspberry schnapps, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the dough is well combined. Wrap the dough in foil and refrigerate overnight.
Remove small chunks of the dough at a time and roll thin, about 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick. (I rolled dough between two pieces of parchment paper; you also could use waxed paper.) Cut with small round cookie cutters. Place on prepared baking sheets. Spread a small amount of raspberry jam onto unbaked rounds (not quite to the edge). Roll out additional dough and, using a ruler and a pastry wheel, cut small narrow strips. Weave four strips for lattice effect on top of the jam rounds (two in each direction).
Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl. Brush the tops with egg wash and bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Sift confectioner’s sugar over the tops. Store in airtight containers in the freezer with waxed paper between layers. Quantity will depend on the thickness of the rolled dough and the diameter of the cookie cutter.
— Brenda Kurczewski of Moon, as featured in “The Barnes & Noble Cookie Bake-Off: Top 75 Recipes from Around the Country” (Sterling Publishing, Oct. 2015, $9.95)
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