BEST (TIMELESS) LINZER COOKIES

We had a snow day today, a no school (even remote school), excuse-myself-from-all-non-essential-work snow day, and let me tell you, we really, really needed it. Is anyone else tired of being all the things, all the time?

A snow day is a perfect time to bake, but we’ve been baking nonstop for three solid weeks. Instead, we pulled out all the bits and bobs of our recent baking extravaganzas, including the tidy Linzer layers I’d tucked away in the freezer—and filled them with jam to eat alongside double-thick hot cocoa, sausages, cheese and snappy radishes—a perfect winter snack moment.

Linzers are András favorite, favorite cookie. They remind of him of his days living in Vienna as a young apprentice, where I suspect he ate Linzertorte almost daily (he has a serious sweet tooth!). It is one thing that visibly lights him up, every time I make them.

This year we upgraded our recipe with a dash of cardamom and we’re all hooked. The dough is addictively delicious, and the cookies bake up crisp and shapely, then soften to a tender crumb when layered with jam, resting on a cookie plate, ready to be nibbled.

We filled our first batch this year with the thick layers of mandarin marmalade from my new book, Instant Family Meals—and shaped them with hearts, since we could all use a little more love this year. More love, and more Linzers.

But of course linzers are wonderful with whatever jam you love—tangy apricot or seeded raspberry—a timeless, flawless holiday best.

RECIPE, BELOW

BEST LINZER COOKIES WITH MANDARIN MARMALADE

1 1/2 CUPS UNSALTED BUTTER, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

1 1/2 CUPS PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

1 LARGE EGG, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

2 LARGE EGG YOLKS, AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

1 TEASPOON PURE VANILLA EXTRACT

3 1/4 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR OR GLUTEN-FREE ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

3/4 TEASPOON FINE SEA SALT

1/2 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1/2 TEASPOON GROUND GINGER

1/4 TEASPOON GROUND CINNAMON

1/4 TEASPOON GROUND CARDAMOM (OPTIONAL)

CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR, FOR SERVING

2/3 TO 3/4 CUP MANDARIN OR ORANGE MARMALADE, APRICOT, RASPEBERRY OR BLACKBERRY JAM

BEAT THE BUTTER AND BROWN SUGAR IN THE BOWL OF AN ELECTRIC MIXER ON MEDIUM SPEED UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY, ABOUT 5 MINUTES. ADD THE EGG AND EGG YOLKS, ONE AT A TIME, BEATING WELL BETWEEN ADDITIONS. STIR IN THE VANILLA.

WHISK TOGETHER THE FLOUR, SALT, BAKING POWDER, GINGER, CINNAMON AND CARDAMOM. STIR INTO THE DOUGH UNTIL JUST INCORPORATED, SCRAPING DOWN THE SIDES WELL AND BEATING AGAIN RAPIDLY FOR 1 MINUTE, TO MAKE A SMOOTH DOUGH.

DIVIDE THE DOUGH IN HALF AND WRAP IN PLASTIC FILM, PATTING EACH INTO A FLAT DISK (TO MAKE ROLLING OUT EASIER, LATER). WRAP TIGHTLY AND REFRIGERATE AT LEAST TWO HOURS, AND UP TO A FEW DAYS (OR, FREEZE AT THIS POINT FOR UP TO 2 WEEKS).

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO 350 DEGREES F. REMOVE 1 DISK OF DOUGH FROM THE REFRIGERATOR AND ROLL ON A LIGHTLY FLOURED SURFACE UNTIL JUST SHY OF 1/4 TH INCH THICK (YOU CAN GO AS THIN AS 1/8 OF AN INCH IF YOU LIKE TO MAKE THINNER—AND MORE COOKIES—OUT OF EACH BATCH; WE LIKE THEM ON THE SLIGHTLY PLUMPER SIDE!).

USE A 1 1/2 TO 2-INCH ROUND COOKIE CUTTER AND CUT THE DOUGH INTO ROUNDS. TRANSFER TO THREE PARCHMENT-LINED BAKING SHEETS. DIP A SMALL 1/2-INCH SHAPED COOKIE CUTTER (SUCH AS A ROUND, DIAMOND OR HEART) IN FLOUR, AND REMOVE THE CENTER THIRD OF HALF OF THE COOKIE ROUNDS. (THE PUNCHED OUT SHAPES CAN BE BAKED ON THE SAME TRAY).

BAKE UNTIL THE COOKIES ARE GOLDEN BROWN, ABOUT 10 MINUTES. LET COOL COMPLETELY ON THE BAKING SHEET, ABOUT 30 MINUTES.

DUST THE COOKIES WITHOUT THE CUTOUTS WITH CONFECTIONERS’ SUGAR. SPREAD THE OTHER HALF WITH 1 TEASPOON OF JAM EACH. TOP WIH THE CUTOUT COOKIES AND SERVE, OR WRAP AND STORE UP TO 24 HOURS.

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES

TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES

MAKES: 3 DOZEN 2-INCH SANDWICH COOKIES

MAKE AHEAD: BAKE THE COOKIE LAYERS AND FREEZE, UN-DUSTED AND UN-FILLED, UP TO 2 WEEKS. DEFROST, DUST WITH CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR AND FILL BEFORE SERVING.

Food styling + photography // SARAH COPELAND

Ceramics // LOST QUARRY