Pistachio Apricot Linzer Cookies
The perfect little cookie - Tender pistachio cookie dough sandwiched with apricot preserves. Just a hint of rum gives the cookie a special flavor.
cookies
Ingredients
- 7 ½ oz all-purpose flour (1 ½ cups, see note)
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 6 oz confectioners' sugar (1 ½ cups)
- 2 oz pistachios (½ cup finely ground)
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large egg yolks
- confectioner's sugar for dusting
- 16 oz apricot preserves (about 1 cup after straining)
Instructions
- Sift together7 ½ oz all-purpose flour, ⅛ teaspoon table salt, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set aside
- Cream 6 oz unsalted butter and 6 oz confectioners' sugar until the mixture lightens in color and is aerated, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl thoroughly. Add 2 oz pistachios (finely ground), ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon dark rum. Add 2 large egg yolks and mix just until combined. Scrape the bowl thoroughly. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to finish combining the ingredients. Split the dough into two equal portions and form each into a disc. Wrap and refrigerate for several hours until chilled and firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two ½sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Remove one of the dough discs from the refrigerator. Knead the dough briefly to soften just a bit. Roll the dough to ⅛" thick and use a cookie cutter (whatever shape you prefer) to cut out cookie bottoms.
- Set the cookie bottoms onto one of the prepared sheet pans, spaced ¼" apart.
- Reroll the scraps and continue cutting until the first portion of dough is gone. If the dough gets too soft to roll return it to the refrigerator to firm up.
- Roll the second portion of dough to ⅛" thick and use the same cutter to cut cookie tops. Use a smaller cutter to cut a hole in the center of each cookie top. Continue rolling and cutting until you have an equal number of cookie tops and bottoms.
- Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 7-8 minutes. Turn the trays after 5 minutes through the baking time. Cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, warm 16 oz apricot preserves briefly in the microwave then strain to remove chunks of fruit.
- Dust an even layer of confectioner's sugar over the cooled cookie tops. Flip the cookie bottoms over so the flat side is facing up. Spread a thin layer of apricot preserves over each cookie bottom.
- Carefully place a cookie top onto each cookie bottom to form a sandwich. Use a pastry bag or small spoon to fill the cut-outs with the strained apricot preserves. The is easiest of the preserves are still a little warm.
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Equipment
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
If using frozen cookies add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
The cookies keep for several days in a covered container at room temperature. I actually prefer them the second day when they've softened just a bit.
This recipes yields (36) 2" cookie sandwiches. The yield will vary based on the shape and size of the cookie cutter.
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @eileen.bakingsense or tag #bakingsense!