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Sparkling vanilla Christmas cookies

Hang these from a Christmas tree or pack them into boxes as end-of-term gifts for teachers and friends.

Makes 20 biscuits

Preparation and cooking times

Prep 10 mins
Cook 12 mins
Plus chilling time (raw dough)

Ingredients

• 140g icing sugar , sieved
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 250g butter , cut into small cubes
• 375g plain flour , sieved

• 200g icing sugar , sieved
• edible food colouring , optional
• edible gold and silver balls
• approx 2m thin ribbon cut into 10cm lengths

1. Tip the icing sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk and butter into a mixing bowl, then stir together with a wooden spoon (or pulse in a food processor until well combined). Add the flour and mix to a firm dough. Shape the dough into two flat discs and wrap in clingfilm. Chill for 20-30 mins. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.

2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut out Christmassy shapes (use a cutter if you like) and place on the baking sheets. Using the tip of a skewer, cut a small hole in the top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 mins until lightly golden.

3. Lift the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water to make a thick, but still runny icing. Colour with edible food colouring, if you like. Spread it over the cooled biscuits, decorate with edible balls and thread with ribbon when dry.

Nutrition Per serving
233 kcalories, protein 2g, carbohydrate 34g, fat 11 g, saturated fat 7g, fibre 1g, sugar 19g, salt 0.2 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, December 2005.

Great Christmas Cookie Recipes: Walnut Linzer Cookies
Posted by julievr on December 7th, 2011

The holiday season somehow makes baking more enticing; I’m more inclined to make the effort and bake fancy cookies at this time of year than any other. Linzer cookies are some of my favorites – simple butter cookies sandwiched with jam, with a window to allow a peek of sweet colour. If you can find tiny star, gingerbread man or other festive cut-outs, use it to cut a shape out of the top layer. Finely chopped walnuts makes them even more festive.

Believed to have originated in the City of Linz, Germany, Linzer cookies are traditionally two round cookies held together with a layer of preserves or jam. The raspberry fruit filling used in this soft buttery cookie complements the nutty flavour of the walnuts.

How to toast walnuts: In large, dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast walnut halves or pieces, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Walnut Linzer Cookies

Pastry:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup California walnuts, toasted and finely ground
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Icing:

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp rum or vanilla
1/4 cup California walnuts, finely chopped

Filling:

1 cup raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350˚F.

In bowl beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
In small bowl whisk together flour, walnuts and cinnamon.

Stir flour mixture into butter until well blended. Divide dough into three pieces and shape into discs. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disc to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 1 1/2 inch round fluted cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds. Use a small cutter to make holes in the centre of half of the rounds. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets about 1-inch (2.5 cm) apart and chill in fridge for 15 minutes.

Bake the cookies in the centre of preheated oven, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

In bowl, whisk together icing sugar and rum. Brush over cookies with cutouts and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts. Spoon approximately 1 tsp (5 mL) of the jam onto the bottom side of the solid cookies. Top with cutout cookies. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Spring Daisy Apricot Linzer Cookies
Posted by thenaptimechef on May 11th, 2011

Spring Daisy Linzer Cookies adapted from Ina Garten

Ingreidents

3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon good quality extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup apricot preserves

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.

2. Sift together flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.

3. In a mix cream the butter and sugar until totally combined. Then, add the vanilla and lemon zest, mix again. With the mixer on low, add in the flour/salt mixture until the dough comes together. Do not overbeat. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Place the dough on a floured surface and roll out until ¼ inch thick. Cut out rounds in a 3-inch round cookie cutter. With ½ of the rounds, cut out a smaller shape. Use extra dough to form a few more cookies. Place all cookies on the cookies sheets and bake for 20-25 minutes.

5. Allow cookies to cool to room temperature. Then, spread preserves on the bottom cookie and place the cut-out cookie on top. Dust the top of cookies with confectioners’ sugar.