Semolina Linzer Cookies

A soft, buttery linzer cookie, made a little more unique with the addition of fine semolina flour. If you attended my pop-up at the Galleria 7 Market in December, these cookies were served with a fig jam. That being said, they are easily customizable.

Try this:

-Vanilla Cookie Dough - sub 2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

-Try adding zest of orange, lemon or grapefruit

-I can even see these going more savory, say a black pepper and parmesan dough with a pepper jelly -- YUM!

Today I opted for a Blueberry Almond Linzer Cookie - see the recipe below!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup butter (2 1/2 sticks), room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (Plus more for dusting)

4 large egg yolks, room temperature

*it is easier to separate the yolks while the egg is cold, then set at room temperature

½ teaspoon salt

1 tsp lemon zest

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 cup fine ground semolina flour (often called semola flour)

Blueberry jam

Instructions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add in egg yolks and beat until combined, followed by almond extract, lemon zest and juice.

In another bowl, combine both flours and salt. Slowly add in flour on low speed to combine.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap on your work surface and put dough on plastic wrap. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and form into a square, about 10x10 inches. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough discs into a ¼ inch thickness. Cut out cookies with a cookie cutter of your choice and place on the prepared baking sheets with about 1-2 inch space in-between.

Bake each sheet for about 10 minutes, just until bottoms lightly brown. Allow cooling on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Fill cooled cookies with jam by spreading jam on the bottom of one cookie and place another on top.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.