NUTELLA LINZER HEART COOKIES
These beautiful and delicious Linzer heart cookies are a perfect Valentine's Day treat. The buttery, nutty shortbread and sweet Nutella filling create a delightful combination of flavors and textures. The chilling time is important for the texture, so plan accordingly.
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup almond flour (or finely ground almonds)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 jar (13 ounces) Nutella
Garnish (optional)
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes using an electric mixer.
- Add almond flour and vanilla: Stir in the almond flour and vanilla extract.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and salt.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This chilling period is crucial for preventing spreading and making the dough easier to handle.
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters (you'll need two sizes – one larger for the bottom and one smaller for the cutout in the top) to cut out the cookies. For half of the cookies, use the smaller cutter to cut out a heart shape in the center.
- Bake: Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Be careful not to overbake.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble the cookies: Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread about 1 teaspoon of Nutella on the flat side of each bottom cookie (the ones without the cutout). Top with a cut-out cookie.
- Dust with powdered sugar (optional): Dust the assembled cookies with powdered sugar, if desired.
Notes
- Almond Flour: Almond flour adds a delicate nutty flavor and texture to the cookies. If you don't have almond flour, you can finely grind whole almonds yourself.
- Chilling: Chilling the dough is essential for preventing the cookies from spreading too much and for making the dough easier to handle. Don't skip this step!
- Cookie Cutters: Using different sized heart-shaped cookie cutters is key for creating the classic Linzer cookie look.
- Nutella Filling: Nutella is the traditional filling for Linzer cookies, but you can use other fillings, such as jam, preserves, or even peanut butter.
- Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.