Home » Kitchen » Baking Recipes + Tips » Spiced Linzer Cookie Recipe & Pear Caramel Filling
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Our family has their favorite cookies which get baked year after year.And that’s a good and wonderful thing.
But every now and again, it’s good to add a new twist to the usual routine…am I right?
Enter these Spiced Linzer Cookies with Pear Filling.
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And if I’m TOTALLY HONEST…this Linzer cookie recipe was made pretty much because I wanted to use my new Linzer Cookie Cutters. That’s OK, isn’t it?
I mean, how do you not love a little window in a little cookie through which you can view the luscious filling.
But then, baking Linzer cookies became a non-negotiable when an email arrived in my inbox a couple of weeks ago.
It was an email from one of my favorite canners, Marisa from Food in Jars and the recipe she was sharing was for Pear Vanilla Caramel Sauce. I swear divine intervention was responsible! It was clearly destined that this sauce should be the filling for my Linzer Cookies.
I’m telling you, it’s that Kismet thing again!!!
A lightly spiced gingerbread cookie was what I envisioned pairing with Marisa’s Pear Caramel Sauce.
For whatever reason, I have always felt that pear and gingerbread were made to go together. Is that a real thing or is it a pairing I’ve made up?
I took a classic Linzer cookie recipe and altered it by substituting dark brown sugar for granulated sugar. Further, I added those great, warming spices of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.
These lightly spiced and slightly sweet Linzer cookies are the perfect foil for the rich and flavorful Pear Caramel Sauce.
Spiced Linzer Cookies with Pear Filling
lynn
Lightly spiced Linzer cookies are sublime when paired with this luscious pear caramel filling.
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour hr
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Additional Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Total Time 3 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Course Baking Recipes + Tips
Cuisine American
Servings 2 dozen
Calories 159 kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 2 sticks unsalted butter 1 cup, softened
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pear Caramel Sauce
Instructions
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350'F
Combine almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and spices
Beat together butter and dark brown sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes with a stand mixer.
Beat in egg and vanilla
Add flour mixture and process until just combined, about 1 minute.
With floured hands, form dough into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
Put oven racks in the upper and lower third of the oven
Roll out 1 disk at a time, about 1/8" thick between 2 sheets of wax paper or lightly floured parchment paper. I also use my silicone pastry mat.
Once the dough is rolled out, refrigerate for 30 minutes before you cut it.
Repeat with the second disk.
Cut as many cookies as possible form the dough with your Linzer Cookie cutter and transfer to ungreased large baking sheets, arranging about 1 inch apart.You may also need to refrigerate after cutting your shapes and before you transfer them to the baking sheet if the dough gets too soft.
Use cutter with the insert to cut the same number of cookies and place it on a second cookie sheet.
Reroll scraps only once and cut as many shapes as possible
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before baking.
Bake for 10-15 minutes total, switching position of the sheets halfway through the baking until the edges are golden.
Transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely.
Spread about1 teaspoon of pear filling on the flat side of asolid cookie and then top with the flat side of the windowed cookie.
Dust with powdered sugar.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1gCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 66mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6g
Keyword caramel, cookies, linzer, pear, spiced
Well, what did you think?Please rate this recipe here! It helps other readers and also helps to support our site.
Pear Caramel Sauce
Marisa McClellan
Marisa McClellan's Pear Vanilla Caramel Sauce is the perfect filling for the Spiced Linzer Cookies.
5 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cup
Calories 1299 kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ripe pears soft
- 1 TB water
- Pinch salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup brandy
Instructions
Core and chop pears
Puree in blender or food processor with salt and water until smooth
Combine sugar with 3/4 cup water in a saucepan.
Place over medium-high heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until sugar darkens to a medium brown. The caramel can turn from perfect to burnt in a NY second, so keep your eye on it (not that I know...)
Don't stir the caramel, instead gently swirling the pot
Once the syrup has reached a medium brown stage, remove it from the heat and add the pear puree.It will bubble...so be cautious
Stir well to combine the sugar and pear puree and return the pot to medium-highheat. Make sure you are getting the bottom of the pot as you stir.
Continue to stir until the sauce reaches a temperature of 225˚.
Test a dollop on a chilled plate.It should stick together when you push the dollop
Remove from heat and add 2 TB of brandy, adding more in 1 tsp increments if it is too thick.
Nutrition
Serving: 1TBCalories: 1299kcalCarbohydrates: 299gSodium: 13mgSugar: 299g
Keyword caramel, pear, sauce
Well, what did you think?Please rate this recipe here! It helps other readers and also helps to support our site.
Once assembled, the cookies get a finishing dusting of powdered sugar.
Can you freeze Linzer Cookies?
For best results, bake, cool, and then freeze the Linzer Cookie tops and bottoms. Defrost them and then fill with the caramel filling.
If you’d like to add this Spiced Linzer Cookie recipe to your Christmas Cookie repertoire, bookmark this page or pin the following image for your future reference.
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Hugs,