Cranberry Ginger Linzer Torte Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies

3 ½ cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ pound unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup Cranberry Ginger Filling (see recipe below)
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and ground ginger. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until just combined. Add the vanilla. Gradually add in flour mixture on low just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough ¼ inch thick and cut into 2” rounds with a plain or fluted cutter. With half the rounds, cut a hole from the middle of each round in a desired shape. Place the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes.

Bake the cookies for 20 – 25 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown or the cookies are crisp. Remove from oven; let cookies cool for a minute on the pan, then remove to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Place a teaspoonful of filling on the flat side of each whole cookie, spreading it out to the edges with the back of the spoon. Dust the top of the cut-out cookies with powdered sugar. Place the powdered sugared tops on the filled bottoms. Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Cranberry Ginger Filling

Makes about 1.5 cups

12 ounces cranberries
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup water
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Lower heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until cranberries burst. Continue cooking, mashing fruit a bit with the back of a spoon, until thick as jam, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat to cool completely. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

The recipe is one of two signature holiday cookie recipes from chef Carla Hall. For more holiday treats, you can make delicious sense of online cookies with Avast and get two signature holiday cookie recipes from chef Carla Hall.