Vegan Linzer Cookies

Introduction by Mia Windisch-Graetz, images and recipe by Fareisle.

Coming from Austria (just like the super soft Lenzing MicroModal we use for our Les Sublimes clothes), I couldn't imagine the holiday season without Linzer cookies. Believed to have been first baked way back in the 1700s in the Austrian city of Linz (hence the name!), they rank top of my Christmas baking go-to's.

Newly vegan (with the minor exception here and there), I recently attempted a vegan version of this traditional recipe and it turned out delicious! These to-die-for cookies will be the most popular sweet treat at your table on Christmas Eve. They also make a great personal gift for friends. Merry Christmas munchies everyone. Or as we say in Austria - Fröhliche Weihnachten!

What you will need:

COOKIES

• 2 cups all purpose flour + more for dusting and rolling
• 1/2 cup finely ground almonds or almond meal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup of maple syrup
• 1/4 cup canola oil (or coconut oil or other plant oils)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from a vanilla bean
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
  
  

FILLING

• 2 cups fresh or frozen whole raspberries
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 vanilla bean split open (if you've scraped the seeds for the cookie recipe, then use the rest of the bean here)

or you can just buy some organic raspberry jam ;)

DECORATION

• 1/4 Cup powdered sugar (or for the very adventurous ones: powdered coconut milk)

Serves: 18 round sandwich cookies (2”) + nine mini cookies (1”)

How to put it all together:

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract/seeds and almond extract.
4. Mix together ingredients from both bowls. If the dough is clumpy and not formed into a ball, add a tablespoon of more flour until it does.
5. On a well-floured surface using a floured rolling pin, gently roll out half of the dough into a large 1/4-inch thick circle. Add more flour as needed to prevent sticking.
6. Use a 2" round cutter to cut out as many rounds as possible. Transfer rounds to the prepared parchment baking sheets prepared earlier. Gather up leftover dough and re-roll and cut repeatedly until all of dough is used up. Use a 1" cutter to cut out the centre of half of the cookies, these will be your tops and the uncut cookies your bottoms. Note: make sure you have the same amount of tops and bottoms! You should have about 18 cookies (nine tops and nine bottoms), depending on the size of your cookie cutters. For the leftover dough: you can use the 1” rounds and bake them to have some mini cookies.
   
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through, until lightly golden brown. Transfer cookies to cooling racks and allow to cool completely before filling.
8. In case you decide to do the filling yourself instead of buying some raspberry jam from the organic store nearby, here’s the deal: add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce to med-low heat on a low boil for 20-30 minutes until reduced to a runny jam consistency. The preserves will firm up and thicken a bit more as they cool. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool completely. Discard vanilla bean.
9.  Fill the cookies.
10. Decorate filled cookies with powdered sugar to give them the traditional Linzer cookie look. Tip: Instead of the powdered sugar, you can also use powdered coconut milk from the organic store. It tastes just as wonderful. Trust!

Cookies can be made ahead and will keep sealed at room temperature for up to a week. Preserves will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.

Bon Appétit!

Original recipe and images by Fareisle. Fareisle is an incredible family-run business out of Nantucket that hosts one-of-a-kind private dinners and runs an e-shop selling the most delectable plant-based gourmet foods. They also feature a fantastic blog with more great recipes we know you will love. Check them out to get inspired!