Double Chocolate Linzer Tart Cookies Recipes

LINZER TARTS

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in 1/2 cup flour, the ground almonds, and cinnamon. Mix in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time until the mixture becomes a slightly stiff dough.
• Shape the dough into a ball; divide it in half. Wrap both halves in wax paper or plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough into a sheet 1/8 inch thick. With a 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter, cut as many circles from the sheet as you can. Knead the leftover scraps of dough into a ball and roll it out again into a 1/8 inch sheet. Cut out more circles. You should now have about 12 circles.
• Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch of space between them. Refrigerate while working with remaining dough.
• Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the other half of the dough, but after placing the second batch on the baking sheet, cut out the center of each circle with a 1/2 inch cookie cutter.
• Bake cookies in preheated oven until light brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes.
• Spread a thin coating of jam on each of the cookie rounds. Set a cutout cookie on top of each, pressing the two together so they make a sandwich. Spoon a dab of jam into the opening of each tart and sprinkle the tops with confectioners' sugar before serving.

LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• Process flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor for a few seconds until combined. Add butter and pulse several times until mixture becomes crumbly and resembles coarse meal. Add egg yolk and vanilla, and keep pulsing until dough starts to clump together. The dough should be crumbly with large clumps. If dough is too dry, add a bit of water. Another way to check if the dough is done is to take a piece of dough and press it between your thumbs - the dough should stick well together without feeling dry. Avoid overworking the dough throughout the process.
• Turn the dough to a floured surface and form into a disc. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line pans with parchment paper and set aside.
• Roll out dough on a floured surface until it's about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (for sandwich cookies I prefer thin cookies). Cut 60 rounds or hearts of dough using a 2 inch (5 cm) cookie cutter. Using a smaller round (or other shape) cutter, cut a hole into the center of 30 of the cookies.
• Transfer cookies gently using a thin spatula to the prepared baking sheets, placing them 1 inch apart.
• Bake for 9-11 minutes or until cookies are golden just at the edges. Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Sift powdered sugar on top of the cookies with the holes.
• Put about 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the center of the whole cookies, then place the cookies with the holes on top, and press gently.
• Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

LINZER COOKIE TART

Steps:

• In large bowl, stir Cookie ingredients until well blended. Divide dough in half. Shape each piece into flattened round; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours until dough is firm and cold.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Line two large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper; spray with cooking spray.
• For top of cookie tart: Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator; place on center of cookie sheet. Using floured rolling pin, roll dough to 9-inch circle, 1/4 inch thick. Place 8-inch cake pan or bowl, top-side down, over dough, and lightly press into dough to mark an outline. Using small knife, cut around outline. Remove cake pan and any dough scraps from cookie sheet; set scraps aside. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until cookie is light golden brown and edge is set. Immediately cut out star from center using 4-inch star cutter. Gently lift out cutout using small knife to help if needed; discard or save for another use. Cool on cookie sheet 10 minutes. Remove to cooling rack, leaving cookie on cooking parchment paper.
• For bottom of cookie tart: Remove remaining piece of dough from refrigerator, and repeat rolling and cutting steps on second cookie sheet. Combine leftover pieces of dough into ball; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate (see tip for using up). Repeat baking and cooling for cookie-except do not cut out star from bottom cookie. Cool both cookies completely, about 30 minutes.
• When ready to serve, in small bowl, mix 4 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon lemon zest until blended. Remove cooking parchment paper from bottom cookie, and place on serving platter bottom side up for base. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cookie, leaving 1/2-inch border. In small bowl, place jam. Stir with whisk until smooth. Spread jam over cream cheese layer. Remove cooking parchment paper from top of cookie, and place on top of filled cookie base. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon powdered sugar over top cookie. Cut into wedges. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Beat in vanilla and eggs until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except jam and melted chocolate. Beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (dough will be sticky).
• Heat oven to 375°F. Roll 1/4 of dough at a time to 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of waxed paper. (Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll.) Cut with 2-inch cookie cutter (dip cutter into baking cocoa if desired). Cut small shape from center of some of the cookies if desired. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.
• Spread about 1/2 teaspoon jam on bottom of whole cookies; top with cutout cookie or another whole cookie. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm. 3 dozen sandwich cookies

LINZER TARTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in thirds. Shape each into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. holiday cookie cutters. Using floured 1-in. shaped cookie cutters, cut out the centers of half of the cookies., Place solid and window cookies 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Bake 8-10 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Sprinkle window cookies with additional confectioners' sugar. Spread 1 teaspoon Nutella on the bottom of each solid cookie; place window cookies over filling.