Butter, sugar, flour and strawberry jam. Linzer cookie sandwiches.

I love Barefoot Contessa. Her recipes are not only simple, but turn out every time. I agree with her idea of starting with great ingredients and making things that aren’t too fussy.

Something about butter and sugar is just so delicious. These cookies are light, buttery, and the jam in the middle is a perfect complement to the buttery shortbread. These are elegant enough to serve at a party, yet easy enough to make on a weeknight. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do… and good luck trying to eat just one.

Linzer Cookies  (Adapted from recipe in Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, copyright 1999)

3 sticks butter at room temperature (I use salted butter)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (I prefer unbleached)
¼ teaspoon salt
Strawberry or raspberry preserves (I like the Kirkland Signature Organic Strawberry Jam)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1.        Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.       Mix butter and sugar using a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or electric hand mixer) until just combined. Add the vanilla.

3.       In a medium bowl, sift together flour and salt, then add them to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.  Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

4.       Roll the dough ¼-inch thick and cut 2-3 inch rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. In half of the rounds, cut out a few circles with a smaller cutter. (I used the small end of a funnel I had and cut 4 circles. Be creative!).

5.       Place all cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature. Spread jam or chocolate (see note below) on the flat side of each solid cookie. Press the flat size of the cut out cookie on top and dust the sandwich with confectioners’ sugar.

Note: I have also made these with chocolate in the middle and they are just as delicious. Melt 4 oz bittersweet chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time. Spread a thin layer between two cookies. Let cool, and enjoy!