Filled with cranberry compote, and just right for end-of-year holidays, these Pumpkin Pie Spice Linzer Cookies feature a buttery crust made from almond flour and graham crackers. They are sure to be a hit with anyone who loves the flavors of fall and winter. Not to mention, who could deny their beautiful design. With the use of cookie cutters, even the most beginner of bakers can look like a pro. Remember to work smarter not harder! We also recommend having a rolling pin, parchment paper, cookie cutters (1 large, 1 small), small sifter, and a hand immersion blender at the ready to make this recipe.
What are Linzer Cookies?
Linzer cookies are a traditional Austrian cookie known mostly for its visual appeal and jam filling. It typically consists of a shortcrust pastry filled with a sweet raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar on top. The unique feature of linzer cookies is the decorative latticework pattern on top of the pastry, often cut out with a special cookie cutter. The latticework not only adds visual appeal but also allows the aroma of the jam to escape, enhancing the overall taste and experience. In our case, we substitute the usual jam filling for a cranberry compote that then perfectly balances the taste of pumpkin in the actual cookie base.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Linzer Cookies
Description
A take on the linzer cookie with a cranberry compote filling and pumpkin pie spice cookie.
Ingredients
- 170 g butter
- 127 g sugar
- 10 g molasses
- 32 g eggs (whisked)
- 213 g pastry flour
- 7 g pumpkin spice
- 30 g graham crackers, finely ground
- 85 g almond flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for dusting
- Cranberry compote
For the cranberry compote:
- Zest from 2 oranges
- 12 oz orange juice
- 6 oz honey
- 2 12-oz bags cranberries
- 2 sweet apples, such as Fuji, Honeycrisp or Red Delicious
- 12 oz brown sugar
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar until smooth and light.
- Add molasses and eggs and mix until incorporated.
- Add flour, pumpkin spice, graham crackers, baking powder, and almond flour. Mix until combined.
- Wrap dough and place in fridge overnight.
- Roll out dough to thickness of about 2 stacked quarters.
- Using large cookie cutter cut out 2 cookies. With half the cookies, cut a small circle out of the middle to use as the “top” cookie.
- Collect the cutout dough centers and scrap dough and use the above process until the dough is gone.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Halfway through baking rotate the trays. Cool on the counter.
- Set aside the cookies with holes in the centers and sift with powdered sugar.
- Spread cranberry compote on the bottom of the whole cookie. Place the dusted powdered sugar cookie on top. Store at room temperature.
For the cranberry compote:
- Peel oranges and finely slice.
- Bring juice, honey, brown sugar, and orange zest to a boil. Then boil for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Petit-dice apples, leaving the skin on if preferred.
- Add cranberries, apples, and brown sugar to the juice, cooking until mixture thickens and the cranberries and apples soften, about 15-20 minutes. Be sure to stir the mixture occasionally.
- Carefully immersion-blend to a sauce to your preferred consistency.
- Cool over ice bath until completely cool. Store in fridge in an airtight container.
Story and recipe by Selina Progar
Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce
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