Linzer Bars

The clocks are set back, the leaves are finally changing color, and it's getting dark far too early: These are all indisputable signs of cookie season's arrival.  That little bite in the air tells baking fiends across the country, me included, that it's time to get down to the serious business of making (and sharing) sweets.

Back in July, I attended my very first canning party, from which I brought home a jar of homemade strawberry jam.  Since I'm not much for toast-and-jam (butter is my topping of choice), the jam has been guiltily staring at me for the past three months.  Solution: Make it the basis for a cookie.

This recipe comes from The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe from Each Year 1941-2009, which is coming out this month.  It's a really terrific book with lots of beautiful illustrations, plus it's interesting to see the evolution of what American readers of Gourmet expected from their cookies over the past 60+ years.  I adapted this recipe from their 1979 selection, leaving out ground almonds and other ingredients not readily at hand.

Special thanks for this recipe goes to Kirsten, without whom there would have been no jam, no cookbook, and no cookies.

You'll need:

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup strawberry jam

2 tbsp. confectioner's sugar

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and two sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy.  Stir in the lightly beaten egg.

Stir the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into the butter-sugar-egg mixture.  Combine well.

Press two-thirds of the dough into a well-buttered (and possibly aluminum-foiled) 8-inch square baking pan, patting it flat.  Spread the strawberry jam over the dough.

Roll out the remaining one-third of the dough until 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick and place between plastic wrap or wax paper.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until the dough is firm.  Remove the plastic and cut the dough into 1/2-inch wide strips, arranging in a lattice pattern over the jam.  Bake the cookies in a 375-degree oven for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Sprinkle/sift confectioner's sugar over the pan, let cool, and then cut into 2-by-1-inch bars.

Once they're cut, this should make about 32 bars.

Happy eating!