LINZER COOKIE STARS - One Dozen w/ recipe below

1 Recipe Linzer Cookies

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Jam for filling cookies (I used a tart cherry jam for these)

 

You can find the full ingredients list and directions for how to make these cookies HERE, I just used a different shape cookie cutter here. A couple notes on the recipe... FILLING: a tart jam works well for these, as it cuts through the sweet, buttery flavor of the cookies. PREPARE AHEAD: Also, these are best baked at least a day ahead before eating, they get better and they soften as they sit (in an air tight container). I always make the dough the night before I make the cookies, it gives it time to rest in the fridge, and you have less work with the cookies the following day! ROLLING OUT: When you take the dough out of the fridge to roll it out, make sure you give it time to soften again, otherwise you will have a very hard time rolling it out (it will literally feel like a brick). Roll it out on a floured surface slowly, and if it looks like the edges are starting to tear off a little bit, just gather the sides and press them in gently, and continue rolling. BAKING: I like baking the bottom pieces on one tray, and the top pieces on a different tray, because the tops usually take a little less time to bake since they have a cutout in the center. So to prevent the tops from burning, bake them on a different baking sheet than the bottoms!DUSTING WITH SUGAR: Lots of people have asked me how I dust the cookies with confectioners' sugar without getting the jam covered in sugar too. And here's how: Once the baked cookies have cooled, lay all the top cookies with the cutouts in the center on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, and dust them with confectioners' sugar. Spread an even layer of jam on the bottom cookies (leaving a little edge around the edges) then top them with the sugar dusted tops, picking them up and pressing them down by the sides, to avoid messing up the sugar on top!