Signature Bake: Cookies for Santa
Cookies: Ainslie’s Linzer Cookies & Iced Orange-Cardamom Sugar Cookies

Linzer Cookies:

INGREDIENTS:

For the Jam:

• 2 cups raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp unsalted butter

For the Linzer cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg (from 1 whole nutmeg)
• 1 cup almond flour
• 2 1/4 cup King-Arthur all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar (for dusting)

Directions:

1. Line a 10x15 jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Puree raspberries in Food Processor until almost all seeds have been ground up. Place pureed raspberry into a medium sauce pan over medium heat, and then stir in sugar and lemon juice. Bring mixture to a simmer and let reduce for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Once the jam reaches a
syrupy consistency, remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp. butter.

2. Spread jam thinly onto pan and place in refrigerator to cool.

3. Now let’s make the Linzer dough! Sift together dry ingredients into a bowl. On a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add
in egg and vanilla, continue to mix for 1-2 minutes longer. Turn mixer to slow speed and slowly add in dry ingredients.

4. Mix only until incorporated. Remove dough from mixing bowl and wrap in plastic, place in fridge for 30-45 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 325F/165C

6. Once chilled, remove Linzer cookie dough from the fridge and place on a well floured work surface. Carefully roll out dough into a 1/4” thickness. Place rolled dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then use Linzer cookie cutter to make shape. On half of the cookies, use the smaller Linzer cookie cutter to create a
middle-cut out. Remove surrounding excess dough, and the middle portions of the cookies, and re-roll to create more cookies.

7. Once sheet is full, place in pre-heated oven and bake for 6-8min, or until firm but still pale. Remove and place on cooling racks.

8. Once cooled, Take the top half of cookies (the ones with holes in them) and dust with powdered sugar.

9. Next, remove jam from the fridge. Place 3/4 teaspoon jam on the full half of the cook, spreading to thinness. Then top the jam with the other half of the cookie (thepowdered sugar half).

Iced Orange-Cardamom Sugar Cookies:

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp ground cardamom

For the Royal Icing:

• 2 lbs confectioner’s sugar
• 4 oz pasteurized egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water
• Holiday Red food coloring
• Forest Green food coloring
• White food coloring

Decorating Items:

• Sugar sanding crystals (white)
• White sugar pearls
• White pearl dust

Directions:

1. Make sugar cookie dough. Sift together dry ingredients into a bowl: Flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom. On a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar on
medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add in egg, vanilla, and orange zest, continue to mix for 1-2 minutes longer. Turn mixer to slow speed and slowly add in dry ingredients. Mix only
until incorporated.

2. Remove dough from mixing bowl and wrap in plastic, place in fridge for 30-45 minutes.

3. Make royal icing! In large bowl of stand mixer combine the egg whites and vanilla and beat on high speed until frothy. Add powdered sugar in slowly, and mix on low speed
until it is incorporated. Turn speed up to high and beat until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks. This should take approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer icing to different bowls
and add different food colorings as necessary.

4. Once mixed, place icings into piping bags fitted with Ateco Decorating Tip 2.

5. Time to cut the cookies! Preheat oven to 325 F/ 165C. Remove sugar cookie dough from the fridge and place on a well-floured work surface. Carefully roll out dough into a 1/4”
thickness.

6. Place rolled dough onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then use cookie cutter to make shape.

7. Remove surrounding excess dough and re-roll to create more cookies. Once sheet is full, place in pre-heated oven and bake for 6-8min, or until firm but still pale. Remove and
place on cooling racks.

8. Decorate cookie time! For the sugar cookies, carefully decorate using royal icing.