Easter Styled Linzer Cookies

These beautiful, delicate cookies are perfect for Easter or just a cute little snack. They are butterly delicious and the jam sings a happy tun in your mouth every time you take a bite. Oh, these are also lovely to make with the kids, if they have patience (good luck!).

Makes About: 18 sandwich cookies

Takes About: 2 hours

Difficult: 1 out of 5 (if you have patience)

Prep:

No prep, unless you want to stick a piece of parchment onto a baking sheet and set it aside!

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour (plus 1/4 cup for dusting)

3/4 cup almond flour

large pinch of salt

1/2 cup plus 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - room temperature

1/3 cup raw or granulated sugar

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 egg yolk - you will not be using the egg white in the recipe, so find a new home for it.

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Jam for filling (I used peach jam)

Instructions:

- Step 1 - Sift Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup of almond flour, and a large pinch of salt.

- Step 2 - Cream Together Butter and Some Other Ingredients

In a large bowl, add the 1/2 cup butter plus 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, the 1/3 cup sugar, and 2 teaspoons lemon zest. I know, that brown stuff is not lemon zest, but I instead used 1 teaspoon of cinnamon because I didn't have a lemon and felt that 1 lemon was not a necessity to leave my home ;D.

Cream until smooth - about 3-5 minutes.

- Step 3 - Add in Egg and Vanilla

Add the 1 egg yolk and the 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter mixture.

Again, you will not be using the egg white, so I do apologize, but you will need to find a new use for it.

And mix until blended.

- Step 4 - Add Dry Ingredients

Go ahead and add all the dry ingredients to the batter and use a spatula to mix in completely.

It will look like it won't combined, just like below.

But keep going.

I promise it will.

If you are still struggling, use your hands to mix in the flour completely.

- Step 5 - Wrap and Refrigerate

Grab yourself some cling wrap, or if your are cool and have Bees Wrap, and wrap your dough tightly and place in the fridge for an hour.

- Step 6 - Roll Out that Dough!

First, before you grab your dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (170 degrees C) and make sure there is a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet.

Break your dough in half and place one half on a floured counter and the other half back in the fridge.

Roll the dough out on a flour counter (if you dough is sticking, add more flour) until it is about 1/4 inch thick.

I have measuring sticks that were extremely helpful. I got them as a gift, but if you are interested, message me and I will go find where you can buy them! Using your cookie cutters, cut out your egg shape (or whatever shape you desire).

With half of your cookies, cut a small circle or shape out of the middle (these will be your tops.)

Do not pull the cookie off the counter, it could rip. If you have an off set icing knife or spatula, use that to release the cookie from the counter, or find a tool that fits nicely between your cookie and counter and will not destroy your cookie.

Once you have rolled out your first batch, press the loose pieces of dough together and redo step 6 and then once all your dough is gone, don't forget, you have another half in the fridge that also needs to be rolled our and cut into cute little things.

- Step 7 - Transfer and Bake!

Place the cookies on a baking sheet, about an inch apart, and bake for about 7-10 minutes.

These cookies bake quickly, so check after 7 minutes and then if they still seem to soft, add another minute.

Once the cookies are baked, transfer them to a cooling wrack until completely cooled.

- Step 8 - Fill

Once cooled, lay the cookies out on the counter with the bottom facing up and the top facing down.

Using a small spoon, spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of jam onto the bottom of the cookies and spread it out evenly leaving the edge clear of jam (because no one needs sticky fingers).

Flip the top cookie over onto the jam and press down lightly.

- Step 9 - Wahla!

You now have yourself adorable little cookies and now you can build yourself a bunny out of cotton balls because you have nothing better to do at the moment.

Hope you enjoy!