Now that I am proficient in grain-free roll out cookie dough, I learned another recipe for an even better version! This is adapted from my husband’s grandmother’s famous butter dough. We call it Bella’s Muerbe Teig. That is German for butter dough. She used this dough for her famous apple cake (which I will not attempt just yet) and also for cookies. Since it is that time of the season, let’s make some fun linzer cookies with a grain-free and dairy-free adaptation of this dough!
A Linzertorte is a tart made of a rich buttery dough accentuated by almonds, lemon zest, and cinnamon. The tart is traditionally filled with black currant preserves and topped with a lattice crust. It originated in Linz, Austria in the 1600’s. Introduced to American in the 1800’s, raspberry has replaced black currant as the jam of choice. Linzertortes are a traditional European Christmas pastry, a custom that is now enjoyed in the US.
Linzer cookies are made from the same recipe as the Linzertorte but instead the dough is cut into cookies and two of them form a sandwich for the preserves. Additionally, the top cookie has a small cutout in its center (known as Linzer eyes), thus exposing the underlying jam. This makes it more tempting. The traditional cutout is circular, however, all sorts of shapes, are also used.
If you cannot find the special cookie cutters for making linzer cookies, all you really need are two circles of different sizes.
Coconut Date Linzer Cookie
Ingredients for dough
- 1/4 pound butter or 1/2 cup of ghee, softened
- 1 egg (pastured if possible)
- 1/4 cup honey (where to buy raw honey)
- 3/4 – 1 cup coconut flour (where to buy high quality coconut flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- lemon zest from 1/2 medium organic lemon
Ingredients for filling
- 10 Medjool dates
Equipment
- Cookie Cutters (where to buy)
- Cookie sheets (where to buy)
- Hand beater (where to buy)
- Lemon zester (where to buy a lemon zester)
Instructions for dough
- With a hand held electric beater, blend together the softened butter or ghee and the honey
- Add the egg and beat to make a soft batter
- Mix in the flour in small increments. You want it to be soft and pliable
- Mix in the lemon zest and baking soda with the flour
- The dough should be soft but pliable
- Make 2 discs out of the dough and wrap in clear wrap
- Refrigerate for 10 minutes (this is optional. Just be sure the dough is room temperature when you are ready to use it)
- Prepare a floured surface (or tape parchment paper to the table and flour it)
- Place the disc back on the surface and roll out until it is about 1/4″ thick (it helps to cover with clear wrap or parchment paper when rolling)
- Use cookie cutters that are made for making linzer cookies, i.e. that have a cutout for the top cookie
- Cut equal amounts of top and bottom cookies and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
- Brush the top cookies with the white of an egg (optional)
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 7 – 9 minutes
- Let cool
Instructions for Filling
- Cut the dates in half, remove the pit and soak for a least 1/2 hour to soften
- In a small processor puree the dates as smooth as possible and set aside
Putting It All Together
- Line up your bottom cookies and turn bottom side up
- Using a small spatula, gently wipe about a teaspoon of the filling onto the cookie
- Gently cover with the top cookie
- This recipe yielded 1 1/2 dozen filled cookies
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