Easy Linzer Thumbprints Recipes

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.

HAZELNUT LINZER THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Place 1 cup hazelnuts and 1/2 cup flour in a food processor and process for a few seconds, until the nuts are finely chopped but not pulsed to a fine powder. Add remaining flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and pulse for several seconds until well combined.
• 2. Use a spoon to toss the butter into the flour mixture to coat all the butter pieces. Pulse for a few seconds to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal. Add the 2 egg yolks, vanilla, hazelnut liqueur and lemon zest, and pulse for a few seconds or until the dough just beings to hold together. Cover the dough and refrigerate until firm.
• 3. Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• 4. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the 2 egg whites.
• 5. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each dough ball into the egg whites, and then roll in the chopped hazelnuts until well coated on all sides. Arrange the covered dough balls 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to create a very shallow hole. If the dough cracks, gently pinch it back together. Fill each hole with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the raspberry jam.
• 6. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until cookes are lightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheets. When cooled, lightly sift the confectioers' sugar over the cookies. If desired, dip a fork in water and let small droplets of water drip onto the center of each cookie so the jam shines through the sugar dust.

RASPBERRY LINZER THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Mix margarine with sugars in large bowl. Mix in eggs and vanilla until blended. Gradually add in flour mixture; mix just until blended. Stir in almonds and lemon peel. Drop by tablespoonfuls on ungreased baking sheets, 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
• Bake 7 minutes or until edges are golden. Immediately make an indentation in centres of cookies with the back of a round measuring spoon. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 minutes on a wire rack; remove cookies from sheets and cool completely.
• Sprinkle with icing sugar, then fill indentations evenly with jam; about a half teaspoon each.