Linzer Cookies

Our sweet neighbor Elfie has brought us a plate of Christmas cookies every year since we've moved to our little community.  Elfie is German and her fare is not your usual Christmas cookies.  I wait all year for her plate so that I can eat all of these cookies off the plate.  They are crunchy, gooey, and not overly sweet.  They are more of a grown-up cookie I guess, which is good so Greg and I  can eat all of them and not share with my kids.  I found this recipe last year and I was so excited.  Monday night while I was at Joann's I found Linzer cookie cutters, yippee!  For the ground almonds I simply processed whole almonds in my food processor.  I hope you like them too!
 
Linzer Cookies

Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigeration
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
 

Ingredients:

1¼ c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking cocoa
½ t. salt
¼ t. ground cinnamon
¼ t. ground nutmeg
¼ t. ground cloves
2 c. ground almonds
6 T. seedless raspberry jam
3 T. powdered sugar
Directions: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Combine the flour, cocoa, salt and spices; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in almonds.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8” thickness.  Cut with a floured 2½” round cookie cutter.  From the center of half of the cookies, cut out a 1½” shape.  Place on ungreased baking sheets.  Bake 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Spread the bottom of each solid cookie with ½ tsp. Of jam.  Sprinkle cutout cookies with powdered sugar; carefully place over jam. 

 (This recipe was originally found in Taste of Home magazine)