Ingredients:

  • 225g unsalted butter, softened
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 280g all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • 200g seedless raspberry jam
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Icing sugar

Instructions:

  1. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract, then lemon zest. Gradually add flour and salt until just combined. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill.
  2. Heat raspberry jam and lemon juice in a saucepan over low heat until slightly loosened. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any remaining seeds. Let cool.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to approximately 3mm thickness. Cut out cookies with your chosen Linzer cutters. Ensure half of the cookies have a small cut-out shape in the center. Repeat with the second disc of dough.
  4. Place cookies on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C/350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden brown.
  5. Let cookies cool completely on baking sheets. Once cool, dust the cookies with the cut-outs with icing sugar.
  6. Spread a teaspoon of raspberry jam onto the flat side of the solid cookies. Top with a dusted cut-out cookie, pressing gently to adhere.
  7. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container. These are perfect christmas cookies!