Linzer Sandwich Cookies

With a delicious raspberry filling, these fabulous linzer cookies will add a festive flair to your Princess Birthday Tea.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup hazelnuts (filberts)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar, if desired

1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

Step One: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread hazelnuts in ungreased shallow baking pan. Bake uncovered about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove loose skins (some skins may not come off); cool 5 to 10 minutes. Turn off oven.

Step Two: In food processor bowl with metal blade, place nuts and 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Cover; process with about 10 on-and-off pulses, 2 to 3 seconds each, until nuts are finely ground but not oily.

Step Three: In small bowl, mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; set aside.

Step Four: In large bowl, beat butter and remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 3 minutes or until smooth. Add nut mixture; beat about 1 minute or until mixed. Beat in egg and vanilla. With spoon, stir in flour mixture about 1 minute or just until blended. Shape dough into 2 balls; flatten each ball into a disk. Wrap separately in plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours until firm.

Step Five: Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove 1 dough disk from refrigerator. On well floured surface, roll dough with floured rolling pin until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter in desired shape. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts about 1 inch apart.

Step Six: Roll and cut half of dough. Using a 1-inch round or heart cutter, cut out the center of half of the cookies. Reroll dough centers and cut out more cookies.

Step Seven: Bake 4 to 5 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool about 10 minutes.

Step Eight: Lightly sprinkle powdered sugar over cookies with center cutouts. Spread about 1 teaspoon raspberry jam over each whole cookie. Top with a cutout cookie. Cool completely, about 1 hour before serving or storing.

26 sandwich cookies