Let’s Make Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies!

Though Valentine’s Day isn’t celebrated much in Israel – their holiday of love, Tu B’Av, occurs in the summer – it’s still a great day to express our love. Isn’t every day, really? Linzer cookies – and their cousin, the Linzer torte – originated in Linz, Austria, and are still a holiday classic in Austrian, Hungarian, and German communities. Many North American bakeries have made the cookies a tradition at Valentine’s Day as well. Here’s hoping your Valentine’s Day is sweet – and filled with God’s overflowing, unconditional love!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp fresh orange zest
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Extra flour for rolling
• Raspberry jam
• Powdered sugar
• Special equipment: rolling pin and cookie cutters

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Add egg, vanilla, and orange zest and combine.

2. Add flour one cup at a time until fully incorporated.

3. Place dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes. You may need to add extra flour during this step as this dough tends to be sticky, but try not to add too much.

6. Place on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

When cookies have cooled completely, spread with jam, place cutout cookies on top, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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