Need a last minute gift idea? These shortbread cookies from Rachael Mahoney, the mom and personal chef behind Kinney Lane, are beautiful, delicious and can be wrapped up for a quick, thoughtful present. “It’s a tradition in our household and once you make it it’s likely going to be in yours, too,” says Rachael.
Traditional Linzer Cookies
Ingredients:
Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 large egg
Zest of 1 lemon or orange
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Raspberry jam (you can choose any flavor you’d like)
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients: Almond flour, all-purpose flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Mix until combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy- about 2 minutes. Beat the egg and the vanilla, almond extract, zest and beat until combined- about 30 seconds. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in batches until just combined. Halve the dough, form into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and chill until very firm, at least 2 hours. This can be done overnight (and is recommended).
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silpat.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll it out until it is about 1/4-inch thick. We find using a marble rolling pin is best for these types of cookies. You can chill marble roller in refrigerator before rolling for best results.
- Quickly cut your shapes: Cut out your desired shapes with your cookie cutters. Cut a window out of one of the larger shapes with a smaller cutter of the same shape. If dough seems to be getting warm, please tray in fridge for a few minutes to avoid breaking or melting. We recommend working fast during this part of the recipe since dough can get soft quickly. We used heart, Christmas tree, gingerbread man, star and circle shaped cutters for these cookies.
- Bake the cookies for about 9-13 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges.
- Cool cookies: Remove and let cool until you are ready to handle them again.
- Assemble: Dust tops of the cut-out “windowed” cookies with powdered sugar using a fine mesh strainer. Spread a dollop of jam on the remaining bottom flat part of cookie. Arrange sugared top on jellied bottom. Repeat until all cookies are completed and enjoy! Box and gift any remaining cookies.