Best Hazelnut Linzer Cookies Recipes

HAZELNUT LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• Grind hazelnuts with 1/4 cup sugar.
• Stir together Flour, cinnamon, salt. Set aside.
• Cream butter, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks.
• Stir in dry ingredients.
• Pat into rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface and cut out with 2" cookie cutter.
• Cut small shape in half of the cookies.
• Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees 12- 14 minutes. Cool on rack.
• Heat preserves slightly in saucepan.
• Spoon 1/2 teaspoons preserves onto whole cookie.
• Dust cut-out tops with powdered sugar.
• Place dusted cookies on top of preserve covered cookies.
• Store in tins.

HAZELNUT-CHOCOLATE LINZER COOKIES

Steps:

• Add the nuts to the bowl of a food processor, fitted with a blade, and pulse until finely ground (it should be powdery and not a paste), about 15 pulses. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until evenly combined and set aside.
• Put the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until creamy and light, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down sides of the bowl, and add egg yolks and vanilla. Mix until well incorporated.
• Mix in the orange zest, ground hazelnut powder, and the flour mixture until just incorporated. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, pat each into a thin disk, enclose in plastic wrap, and let rest in refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and arrange racks in the upper and lower third of the oven. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature until pliable enough to roll. Roll out half of the dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment or waxed paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out rounds of dough. Using a 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out the center of half of rounds to make rings. Transfer rounds and rings to the freezer to set up for 5 minutes before continuing. Gather the dough scraps and chill.
• Transfer the chilled cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving at least 1-inch between each cookie. Bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time until the undersides are golden, switching sheets halfway through, about 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool 5 minutes on sheets then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat until all dough is used.
• To assemble cookies, spread 1 teaspoon of the chocolate spread on the bottom of each solid round cookie, then top with a ring-shaped cookie.
• For Blackberry-Pecan Linzer Cookies variation, follow the same instructions except spread 1/2 teaspoon jam on the bottom side of each solid round cookie, then top with a ring-shaped cookie.

HAZELNUT LINZER COOKIES WITH BLACKBERRY JAM

Steps:

• Whisk first 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Beat butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and citrus peels in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in egg yolks. Beat in dry ingredients in 4 additions; beat in nuts. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap; chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out half of dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds. Using 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out center of half of rounds to make rings. Transfer rounds and rings to prepared sheets. Gather dough scraps; chill.
• Bake cookies until golden, reversing sheets after 10 minutes, about 22 minutes total. Cool completely on sheets. Repeat until all dough is used. Do ahead Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.
• Arrange cookie rings on work surface. Sift powdered sugar over. Spread 1 teaspoon jam on each cookie round. Press rings onto jam on rounds. Do ahead Can be assembled 1 day ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in airtight container at room temperature.

HAZELNUT LINZER THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Place 1 cup hazelnuts and 1/2 cup flour in a food processor and process for a few seconds, until the nuts are finely chopped but not pulsed to a fine powder. Add remaining flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and pulse for several seconds until well combined.
• 2. Use a spoon to toss the butter into the flour mixture to coat all the butter pieces. Pulse for a few seconds to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal. Add the 2 egg yolks, vanilla, hazelnut liqueur and lemon zest, and pulse for a few seconds or until the dough just beings to hold together. Cover the dough and refrigerate until firm.
• 3. Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• 4. In a medium mixing bowl, lightly beat the 2 egg whites.
• 5. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll each dough ball into the egg whites, and then roll in the chopped hazelnuts until well coated on all sides. Arrange the covered dough balls 1 1/2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets. Flatten each dough ball with the palm of your hand. Press your thumb into the center of each cookie to create a very shallow hole. If the dough cracks, gently pinch it back together. Fill each hole with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the raspberry jam.
• 6. Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until cookes are lightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheets. When cooled, lightly sift the confectioers' sugar over the cookies. If desired, dip a fork in water and let small droplets of water drip onto the center of each cookie so the jam shines through the sugar dust.