Perfect Linzer Cookies

Make the cookie dough:

1. In a dry skillet, toast the almond flour over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly until uniformly and lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), whip the room temperature butter and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl, and with the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, and continue beating until the mixture is well-combined.
4. With the mixer off, add about a quarter of the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer on low, and continue to add the dry ingredients a little at a time. Stir until the mixture is just incorporated and the dough is relatively uniform, scraping the bottom of the bowl as needed.
5. Divide the dough roughly in half, and press each half into a smooth, firm disc. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap, and chill for 2 hours or overnight.

Prepare the jam:

1. Empty all the jam into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes to thicken the jam, stirring often, until it’s reduced by about 25%. Sieve the jam (if it has seeds) through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, using a spoon to push it through the sieve. Discard the seeds. Allow the jam to cool, covered.

Roll, Cut, and Bake Cookies:

1. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Aluminum baking sheets work best for these thin cookies (dark non-stick ones will cause them to bake faster and possibly burn). Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C with two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
2. Take 1 disc of dough out of the refrigerator, and set it on a lightly floured work surface (we prefer to do this right on our stone countertop). The dough needs a few minutes to warm up before rolling. Once the dough starts to roll without cracking, roll the dough out evenly to a ¼-inch (6mm) thickness.
3. Dip your cookie cutter in flour, then cut out as many cookies as you can. Use a floured metal spatula with a thin edge to transfer the cookies to the baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch/2cm apart. Bake for 6-7 minutes, rotating the pans 180° once halfway through.
4. So you’ve just put a batch of cookie bases into the oven. Now it’s time for the lids. Roll up any scraps you have, and press them into a smooth disc. Transfer back to the plastic wrap and put in the fridge while you get the other cold dough disc out of the refrigerator. Repeat the same steps to roll and cut out cookies, but this time, also use the larger end of a pastry piping tip to cut out a small circle in the center of each cookie. Carefully remove the center (these can go into the scrap pile of dough), and transfer your linzer cookie lids to a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 6-7 minutes, once again rotating the pans 180° halfway through.
5. Repeat these steps with all of the cookie dough, pressing any dough scraps together and re-rolling as needed. Try to make an equal number of cookie bases and lids. As the cookies come out of the oven, transfer them to a wire rack or cutting board to cool, and place more cookies on the baking sheets to bake.

Assemble the cookies:

1. Once the cookies are cooled, arrange the lids on a sheet pan and dust with powdered sugar using a fine-meshed strainer or a powdered sugar shaker if you have one. Dust to your desired coverage.
2. Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam onto the bottom of a cookie base (you’ll want the “nice” side of the cookie facing out). Try to keep the majority of the jam in the center of the cookie. Take a cookie lid and gently tap it to get rid of any excess powdered sugar. Then gently press it onto the cookie base with the jam. Repeat with all the cookies

Serving and Storage:

1. These cookies look best served in a single layer on a cookie platter. Enjoy with tea, coffee, or milk.
2. They will keep well for about 1 week on the counter, but you may want to refrigerate them before that if you know they won’t be finished by then. You can also freeze the cookies in an airtight container to enjoy at best quality within 3 months.