Nutella Linzer Cookies

Keeping today’s post a bit short and sweet with a recipe for linzer cookies. These cookies are those you see with a little jelly filled heart or a round in the center. They are so cute that they literally scream pick me and eat me.

You basically roll out the cookie dough and cut two set of similar shapes for the top and the bottom of the cookie and then knock out the desired shape from the center of the cookie that goes on top of the sandwich. Bake them, cool and sandwich your desired filling in between. The filling can be a number of options - lemon curd, jam, peanut butter and buttercream to name a few but in this recipe I have used nutella and strawberry jam.

These cookies are pretty to look at and easy to make. It can be a fun thing to make with your kids. I love these with my coffee.

Serving 12 cookies

Ingredients

1 plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
Nutella to spread on cookies
Raspberry or strawberry jam/jelly

1. In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg beating well to form a smooth mixture. Beat in the extract.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to creamed mixture and mix well. You should get a dough that’s not sticky and forms into a ball.
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness; cut with a floured 2-1/2-inch round cookie cutter.
6. Repeat with the rest of the dough. In half of the cookie cut a small circle so the center is cut out of each cookie. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
7. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
8. Spread nutella over the bottoms of solid cookies. Place cookies with cutout centers over chocolate. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jam/jelly in center of each cookie. Serve.