With one week to go before Independence Day weekend, I thought I would throw some “patriotic” recipes into the mix. OK, linzer cookies aren’t really patriotic in the slightest and I make them all the time, but I always make new versions, if not in taste combinations, in new shapes. And that is where the “patriotic” comes in this time. Stars! Fireworks! And I guess all-American blueberries and raspberries (the blueberry jam is homemade). Just something cute and fun to add to your 4th of July picnic!
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/3 cup blueberry jam
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
You will also need various star cookie cutters and a small round cookie cutter to cut out the centers.
Directions
In the mixing bowl of your stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar and egg until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla. Finally, mix in the flour and salt until smooth and well combined. Chill in refrigerator 2-3 hours or until firm enough to be rolled.
Preheat over to 400F. Prepare cookie sheets with silpat or parchment paper.
Roll out half of the dough on a well floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness (be careful to get the surface even, otherwise you will have oddly-browned cookies. Also, do not roll the dough to thin, otherwise you will have hard cookies when they come out of the oven). Cut out an equal number of star cookies and star cookies with a hole in the middle. Repeat this with other half of the dough.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown at the edges. Cool on wire rack. Once completely cooled, use the jams to sandwich together two cookies to make a little 3D star. Repeat until all cookies are used. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
