Linzer Cookies

Make the cookie dough

1. Pulse the almond flour and sugar in a food processor to combine or sift both ingredients into a bowl. This will help remove any lumps.
2. Place the butter in a mixing bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer). Beat until the butter is creamy, a couple of minutes.
3. Add a spoonful of the almond/sugar mix, the egg, orange juice and vanilla. Beat to combine then gradually add the remaining dry ingredients, salt and spices.
4. Tip the dough onto plastic wrap and form into a disk. Wrap tightly and rest in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Make the cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. You will need to roll out the dough in batches as it can easily soften. Divide into four pieces and keep any dough you are not using wrapped and chilled. Use silicone mats or baking paper to line a large cookie sheet (you will need to bake the cookies in batches).
2. Lightly dust your worktop with powdered sugar (icing sugar). Roll out the dough until It is approximately ¼ inch (0.6cm) thick (a rolling pin with spacing disks is ideal for this purpose).
3. Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Half the cookies will be plain round disks and the other half will have a little cut out shape.
4. Transfer to the cookie sheet, spaced slightly apart. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until the cookies are just coloring at the edges.
5. Cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then carefully lift onto a wire rack to cool. Roll out the remaining dough, gathering any scraps and rolling as you go.
6. Dust the cookies with the cut out windows with powdered sugar (icing sugar).
7. Spread jam or jelly on the bottom half of the cookies and sandwich together. Serve immediately or keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days.