Linzer Torte Cookies

Is there something you have wanted to learn or do? Something that every time you think about it will brings a smile to your face and a sigh in your heart? Little or big, just pursue it!

One little thing that I have always wanted to make is Linzer Torte Cookies... for years and years. I think they are so beautiful and look scrumptious! But, as many of you know, I am NOT a baker.

And I am very intimidated about all things baking. It is too much chemistry for me. I am more of a free spirit in the kitchen.

But embracing my own advice, I made Linzer Torte Cookies. The ones I made were shortbread cookies. These pretty cookies are inspired by Ina Garten's Linzer Torte Cookie recipe. What a satisfying experience... and yummy too!

These are little jewels in cookie form!

STONEGABLE LINZER TORTE COOKIES

3 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

good preserves

confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Add butter and sugar in a bowl and beat together with a mixer until just combined. I used a paddle attachment to mixt the butter and sugar. Add vanilla and incorporate. In a separate bowl mix flour and salt. Add flour in thirds to the butter mixture. Mix until dough forms.

Turn dough onto work surface and form into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll dough on work surface 1/4 inch thick. C

Cut out cookies using a fluted round (I used 3 1/16") cookie cutter. Cut the center out of half of the rounds (I used a 1 7/8") using a smaller cutter. This dough is a little fussy. It wanted to crack when I cut out the centers of the cookies. I just pressed the ones that cracked together again.

Chill cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Bake for 12- 15 minutes, until the edges are JUST BEGINNING TO TURN BROWN. I let my first batch bake a tad long. Just watch them!!!

Remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely. I put the solid rounds on one rack and the cutout tops on another.

Dust the top with confectioner's sugar.

Put a teaspoon of great quality jam in the center of your solid cookie round. I used StoneGable's homemade raspberry and sour cherry jam. YUMMY! To see a recipe for jam click HERE.