Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies hail from Austria and feature a sandwich of two sugar cookies with a window cut out of the top cookie and a layer of jelly, traditionally currant or lingonberry jelly in between the cookies. They are beautiful to behold and awesomely delicious and perfect for Christmas.

Makes about 18 cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 small eggs
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
seedless jelly such as raspberry, lingonberry, strawberry
powdered sugar

1. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and sugar until combined and creamy. Mix in egg, vanilla, and lemon rind and beat until smooth, scraping down the bowl.
2. Add flour to egg mixture. Mix on low until combined. Do not overmix. Form mixture into a ball and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. Flatten into a 6-inch round disk, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator 2 hours.
3. Heat oven to 325°F and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Dust work surface with flour, cut disk in half and then evenly roll out each half to about 1/8 thickness. Cut into heart or round shapes using a cookie cutter, then using a smaller heart or round shape cookie cutter, cut smaller holes into the centers of half of the cookies.
4. Carefully transfer to prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 – 12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Spread a layer of jelly over whole cookies. Dust the cut-out cookies with powdered sugar, then place those cookies over the jellied cookies.

Keep cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.