How to Bake Linzer Bar Cookies

Linzer bar cookies are a delicious treat that are perfect for sharing with friends and family. These cookies are made with a buttery almond dough and filled with jam or preserves, giving them a fruity and nutty flavor. Here's how you can make them:

Ingredients: - 2 cups all-purpose flour - 1 cup finely ground almonds - 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature - 1/2 cup granulated sugar - 1/2 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - 1 cup jam or preserves (apricot, raspberry, or strawberry)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) baking dish and line it with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and ground almonds. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the salt and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until combined.

5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until the dough comes together and forms a ball.

6. Press two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, making sure it's evenly distributed. Reserve the remaining one-third of the dough for the top of the cookies.

7. Spread the jam or preserves over the dough in the baking dish, leaving a small border around the edges.

8. Take the remaining dough and roll it out into a thin layer between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes, such as hearts or stars, from the dough.

9. Carefully place the cut-out dough shapes on top of the jam, slightly pressing them into the dough.

10. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie bars are golden brown.

11. Let the cookies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once they're cool, lift the cookies out of the pan using the parchment paper.

12. Cut the cookies into bars and serve.

Enjoy your delicious homemade Linzer bar cookies!