Linzer Cookies with Chocolate and Raspberry

It's time to start baking for Christmas.  This is another classic style cookie but it has a twist.

I love the combination of chocolate and raspberry so much. These have to be one of my favorite cookies because of that. The dough has such wonderful flavor because of the cinnamon that is added. Plan ahead because you do have to chill the dough. Enjoy

I love these cookies so much :)

The cinnamon makes the dough taste so good. 

 Roll and cut out the cookies.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Add the melted chocolate to the flat side of the whole cookies.

Put the jam in the center and top it with the sugared cookies.

Chocolate Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
One 12-ounce, package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used 1 cup semi and 1 cup dark)
6 Tablespoons raspberry jam or preserves
Powdered sugar

Directions

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter until creamy. Beat in the eggs and almond extract. Gradually add flour mixture. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm.

Preheat oven to 350F. On lightly floured board, roll out half of dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. Repeat with remaining dough. Cut 1-inch round centers from half of unbaked cookies. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Re-roll dough trimmings, if necessary.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes just until set. Let stand on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets; cool completely. 

Over hot (not boiling) water, melt semi-sweet chocolate morsels, stirring until smooth.
Spread 1 measuring teaspoonful melted chocolate on flat side of each whole cookie. Top wit 1/2 measuring teaspoon raspberry jam. sprinkle confectioners' sugar on cookies with center holes; place flat side down on top of chocolate-jam cookies to form cookie sandwiches.

makes about 3 dozen sandwich cookies.

recipe from Holiday Cookies

Mint Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies

These are my favorite cookies for Christmas.  My husband does not like mint cookies. So when I make these amazing cookies I end up eating them all. 

I took a batch to work and made a second batch for home. It turns out that 1 of my 2 sons also likes mint cookies just like his mama.  

I will post the recipe for my hubby's favorite Christmas cookie too.  He loves the traditional peanut blossoms.

Stir in the mint chips.

The dough is a bit sticky so I use a teaspoon and drop some into the sugar and sprinkle some on top then I pick the cookies up and roll them in my hands.

Mint Chocolate Chip Christmas Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
one-10 ounce package mint chocolate chips (I used Hershey)
additional sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In large mixer bowl, combine granulated sugar and oil. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in the mint chips. Shape into rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls; roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 8 - 10 minutes until set. Let stand on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks to cool completely.

makes about 4 1/2 dozen

Enjoy
~Michelle

original recipe from this cookbook