Linzer Cookies

This is a Readers' Favorite from Family Circle magazine in 1979.

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter (at room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups finely ground hazelnuts (about 1 pound)
3 1/2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 (12 ounce) jar raspberry jam
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, egg yolk, lemon rind and vanilla extract. Stir in nuts.

Mix flour, baking powder and cinnamon on wax paper. Stir into egg mixture, blending well to make a stiff dough; use hands if necessary to mix the ingredients together. Wrap in wax paper and chill several hours or overnight.

Divide dough into quarters. Work with one-quarter at a time and refrigerate the rest. Roll quarter between sheets of wax paper to about 1/4-inch thickness. With 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut as many circles from dough as possible. Carefully remove circles from wax paper and place on ungreased baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining 3 quarters. Refrigerate scraps for second rolling.

With a 1 3/4-inch round cookie cutter, cut out and remove center of half the circles on baking sheets. Re-roll the scraps. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes or until edges are golden. Remove from oven and cool cookies on baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Carefully remove cookies with metal spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

Heat jam in small saucepan. Spread each of the solid cookies with thin layer of jam. Top each with a cut-out cookie and gently press together to form sandwich. Place cookies on wire rack placed over wax paper. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Spoon a small amount of jam in opening of each cookie. Allow to set.