Linzer Cookies and The Great Blogger Cookie Swap 2015

Today is the day of the grand unveiling of the 2015 great food blogger cookie swap. An event that was organized by Julie and Lindsay to help raise money for the national nonprofit Cookies for Kids Cancer. This foundation is committed to raising funds for research and new and improved treatments for pediatric cancer, the #1 disease killer of children in the U.S.

The cookie swap works like this; each person that signs up receives the names of 3 blogger's and their address. We are to ship each person 1 dozen of cookies by a certain date secret Santa style so no one knows who or what type of cookies they will receive. Sounds fun right? It was great, and anyone that knows me understands how much I love receiving packages in the mail. Plus it is for a good cause, a win, win situation in my book.

I received cookies from:

Oatmeal Spice cookies from Leslie of My Kitchen is Open from Texas

M&M cookies with Mint from Valerie of Valerie Brett from Hawaii

Pizzelles from Meggan of Culinary Hill from California. Sorry Meggan my husband got to them before I could take pictures and this is all that was left.

I was to ship cookies to:

Deborah of Little Flour from Missouri

Gemma of Party Style from California

Karyn of Pint Sized Baker from West Virginia

The hardest part was selecting which cookie to bake as there are so many different kinds to choose from. Surviving shipping was also a big factor in my decision. My first pick was Peanut Butter Blossoms which I did end up baking but after watching them melt right before my eyes I decided to bake raspberry Linzer cookies which I did ship.

This was my first time participating and certainly will not be my last. This was for a great cause and a wonderful way to meet other food bloggers.

This recipe has been slightly adapted  from the King Arthur Flour Website.

1-½ cups unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 lemons grated rind (zest)

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1-1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Raspberry jam for filling

To prepare:

Combine butter, sugar and zest in mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla, mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl; whisk together the flour, almond flour, and salt. Add to the sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Divide dough into fourths, wrap separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 1 hour.

When ready to bake:

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out cookies using your choice of cookie cutter. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment or siltpat. Use as much of the scrap dough as possible. Place rolled out cookies back in refrigerator for another 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Remove next disc from refrigerator, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out cookies, but this time use your smallest cutter and cut out a shape in the middle of each cookie. Place in refrigerator and chill. Repeat this process until you have equal amount of tops and bottoms.

Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, until edges begin to turn brown. After 5 minutes; transfer to rack let completely cool.

To fill cookies:

Place the cookies with holes in them together and sift confectioner’s sugar on top of them. Turn the bottoms flat side up and spoon ½ teaspoon of jam in the center, spreading slightly. Place top on. 

Take time to enjoy the holidays!