PISTACHIO LINZER COOKIES

Pistachio Linzer Cookies image

Provided by Molly Yeh

Categories dessert

Time 1h15m

Yield 12 sandwich cookies

Number Of Ingredients 11

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2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup finely ground roasted pistachios, plus more for topping
A drop of green food coloring, optional
Sprinkles, for topping, optional

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and salt until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla and almond extracts. Gradually mix in the flour until combined.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. (Alternatively, you can divide it in half, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before proceeding to the next step.) Roll out the dough until it's 3/16 inch thick. Cut out twelve 3-inch circles using a cookie or biscuit cutter. Use a 3/4- to 1-inch-wide star cookie cutter or smaller circle to cut out a hole in the center. Place the cookies on one of the prepared baking sheets. Reroll the dough and cutouts and punch out 12 more 3-inch circles. Place the circles on the second baking sheet.
Bake the cookies until set but still pale, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
In a double boiler, melt the white chocolate chips. Stir in the pistachios and a drop of green food coloring, if desired.
Once the cookies are cool, spread a thick layer of the white chocolate in the center of a cookie and then squish into a sandwich with one of the cutout cookies. Sprinkle the center with additional pistachios and/or sprinkles, if using. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Let stand at room temperature or in the fridge until set, about 5 minutes.