Linzer Cookies.Liam Mogan/The Globe and Mail
Regardless of how you dress it up, sugar cookie dough can be rolled and cut into shapes, sandwiched with raspberry or apricot jam (even Nutella), or shaped into a log, wrapped in parchment and refrigerated or frozen to slice and bake in cookie emergencies.
Servings: 1 1/2 dozen sandwich cookies
Cookie dough
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Linzer cookies
1/2 cup raspberry or apricot jam
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, until pale and light. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour and salt and beat on low speed just until you have a soft dough.
Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disc, wrap in plastic and let rest or refrigerate for at least an hour, or for up to a few days.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 F. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of dough out to about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds with a cookie cutter or glass rim and cut smaller circles out of half (or use a different small shaped cookie cutter ). Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until pale golden around the edges and set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Spread solid cookies with jam. Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet and sprinkle with icing sugar, then place on top of the jam-topped cookies.
Store in a covered container for up to a week.
How to dress them up:
- Add chopped chocolate, chopped nuts and/or dried fruit, roll the dough into two logs, wrap in parchment and refrigerate. Slice and bake as needed.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom to the dough, or 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg . Roll and cut into shapes.
- Make thumbprints by placing walnut-sized balls of dough on a baking sheet, indent each with your thumb and fill with jam or mincemeat before baking.