Linzer Trees

These are a reworking of an old “Joy of Cooking” recipe I learned from my friend in Atlanta, Allison Dykes. They are the precious stars of her holiday cookie plate. The dough can be slightly finicky but can be re-rolled and re-chilled several times so all the scraps get used. The ideal thickness is somewhere between an eighth and a fourth of an inch. They need to be thin but not so thin that the delicate cookie breaks. The roasted almonds can be ground in a food processor.

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cup unsalted butter (2 1/2 sticks), softened
• ⅔ cup/145 grams sugar
• 2 ⅓ cups/308 grams all-purpose flour
• ½ cup/70 grams finely ground, roasted almonds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup/8 ounces good-quality raspberry jam, preferably seedless
• Powdered sugar for dusting

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (30 servings)

    160 calories; 9 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 20 milligrams cholesterol; 34 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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About 30 cookies

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pans with parchment or silicone baking mats.
2. In a bowl or stand mixer, mix butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, almond meal, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients, a half-cup at a time, to butter mixture.
3. Divide dough into 3 balls. Place each ball between parchment paper (nonstick works best) and roll into a thin circle, about 11 inches in diameter and just over 1/8-inch thick. Refrigerate flat for at least 15 minutes.
4. Working quickly with one sheet of dough, remove top layer of parchment, then flip onto a clean sheet and remove the bottom layer. Using a tree-shaped cookie cutter, cut 30 shapes for the bottoms of the cookies and place on prepared baking sheets. Reserve scraps to reuse for more cookies.
5. Bake cookie bottoms for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges just begin to brown. Rest for a couple of minutes on the tray, then carefully transfer to a cooking rack. Repeat the process to create the tops, using a pastry tip or a straw to cut out 5 to 7 holes on the trees to resemble ornaments. Open any holes that close during baking.
6. Meanwhile, melt jam with 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and boil lightly for about a minute. Cool slightly. Assemble cookies by flipping the bottoms, spreading them with a scant teaspoon of jam, dusting the tops lightly with powdered sugar and then gently pressing the tops onto the bottoms. Store airtight between layers of wax paper or parchment for 3 days. Freeze for up to a month.