PB&J Linzers
Linzer cookies (and large format linzer tortes!) have always been a favorite of mine since I started making them for the pastry case at a bakery I worked at on Cape Cod. I would fill half of the cookies I baked with homemade blackberry jam, and the rest with lemon curd. The jam ones always wept and I could never figure out why… until years later when I learned how to properly make and set jam. The jam I used to make was simply too wet because I would always try to use as little sugar as possible, and this would cause the bleeding edges on my linzers.
Nowadays I rarely make my own jam for them, unless I already have a homemade jar on hand. I usually go for Bonne Maman, my favorite brand since living in France. The leftover jars make perfect cups for iced coffee!
This is my first post since my mother passed away in October. I miss her so, so, so much. I never thought I’d lose her before I even turned 30. In the terrible, seemingly endless days after her passing, I found myself craving homey, almost childish meals that made me feel comfy. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches entered my atmosphere after years of absence, and the idea for these came to me while working on some Christmas recipes. So now I’ll share it with you.
Recipe Notes: I use cheap Jif peanut butter for these. They’ll work with a fancy brand like Justin’s, too, but may end up a bit dryer. Bake time can vary depending on how frozen your cookies are when they hit the oven — if they’re softened up, please freeze them again before baking!
PB & J Linzers
Makes 24 sandwich cookies
1 ¼ stick butter, cold and cubed (140g)
¾ cup sugar (150g)
2 cups all purpose flour (240g)
¼ cup peanut butter (70g)
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
1/2 cup jam of choice (raspberry is great for this!)
Add butter, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse a few times until a sandy mixture forms.
Add peanut butter, egg, and vanilla to the food processor. Pulse a few more times until a soft dough forms. Split the dough in two, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
Remove dough from fridge and allow to soften until rollable (this can take 10-15 minutes). Place one half of dough between 2 sheets of parchment and roll 1/4” thick. Roll out remaining dough, then sprinkle on 3 tablespoons of turbinado sugar and press it in firmly.
Place both sheets into the freezer for 15 minutes, until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set aside.
Cut both layers into cookies using a 2 or 3-inch cookie cutter. Divide in half, then cut a center window out of half of the cookies. If you don’t have a small circle cutter for the center of the linzer cookies, I use a piping tip pretty often. A bottle cap would work too.
Place cut cookies on baking sheets at least an inch apart. At this point, if the cookies are not cold and firm, freeze them again briefly, Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until just beginning to brown. Remove from oven and cool completely.
Separate the tops and bottoms! Place about 1/2 teaspoon of jam on one of the bottom cookies, then sandwich on the top piece. The jam should poke through and look super cute!
