Cranberry Linzer Cookies

Recipe shared in partnership with The Pantry Seattle

Recipe adapted from Heather Newton

Yield: 24 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies:

3/4 cup (185 grams) butter, room temperature

3/4 cup (150 grams) white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (80 grams) cornmeal

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:

1 1/2 cups (100 grams) finely chopped cranberries

1/3 cup (65 grams) brown sugar

1/3 cup (113 milliliters) water

1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) cold butter

1 1/2 tablespoons (20 milliliters) lemon juice

Instructions

- Beat 3/4 cup butter and white sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, roughly 5-8 minutes. Beat egg and vanilla into butter mixture.

- Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed butter, paddle until fully combined. Form dough into a square, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

- Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thick. Cut dough with a round or Linzer cookie cutter. Use a smaller cutter to cut the center from the tops. Feel free to get creative with your center shapes, hearts, stars, and squares are all encouraged. Place cookie bottoms and tops 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets.

- Bake until the edges are lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

- Stir cranberries, brown sugar, and water together in a saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir butter and lemon juice into the cranberry mixture; remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

- To assemble: Spread a small amount of the cranberry filling onto one side of the bottom half of a cookie. Place the top half of the cookie on top of the cranberry filled side.