linzer cookies

Linzer Cookies

3/Sticks unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1//4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup good raspberry preserves

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough out (about 1/4-inch thick) and cut hearts with a plain or fluted cutter. With 1/2 of the rounds, cut a hole from the middle of each round with a heart cutter. Place all the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes. (I don't usually chill.) Bake the cookies until the edges begin to brown, about 12 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. Thinly spread raspberry preserves on the flat side of each solid cookie. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with confectioners' sugar and press the flat sides together, with the raspberry preserves in the middle and the confectioners' sugar on the top.

You can use hearts for Valentines as pictured, or circles with stars cut out in the middle, etc.