Description
Linzer strawberry heart cookies blend Austrian baking traditions with romantic charm. Sweet raspberry jam nestles between delicate almond-dusted shortbread, creating an elegant dessert perfect for sharing with someone special.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ cup strawberry jam
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Creaming: Whip butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy, blending egg yolk and vanilla extract for a smooth, consistent mixture.
- Dry Ingredient Integration: Sift flour, cinnamon, and salt together, then gradually fold into the butter mixture to create a uniform dough.
- Chilling Preparation: Divide dough into two discs, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavor and texture.
- Shaping Technique: Roll chilled dough on a floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness, using heart-shaped cutters to create base and top cookie pieces with intricate center heart cutouts.
- Baking Process: Arrange cookie shapes on parchment-lined baking sheets, positioning in a preheated oven and baking until edges turn golden and cookies become delicately crisp.
- Cooling and Assembly: Allow cookies to cool completely on wire racks, then dust base pieces with powdered sugar and generously spread strawberry jam across the surface.
- Finishing Touch: Delicately position top cookie pieces to create an elegant sandwich, with jam artfully visible through the center heart cutout.
Notes
- Manage Butter Temperature: Ensure butter is softened but not melted, maintaining a cool, spreadable consistency for optimal dough texture and cookie structure.
- Control Chilling Process: Refrigerate dough precisely for 30 minutes – not longer – to prevent hardening and maintain ideal rolling consistency without compromising flexibility.
- Master Rolling Technique: Roll dough evenly to 1/8-inch thickness using gentle, consistent pressure, rotating dough frequently to prevent sticking and ensure uniform cookie shapes.
- Prevent Jam Bleeding: Let cookies cool completely before adding strawberry jam, and use thick, high-quality preserves to maintain clean edges and prevent soggy cookie bottoms.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 133
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 30 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 27 mg