(photo prop sources below just before recipe)
It all started over 20 years ago with a butterfly cookie that made my heart flutter and I've come full circle to share this sweet buttery linzer cookie that is as pretty as it is delicious.
Back then it wasn't easy to source cutters and decorating tools, but I was determined to have that cutter, and along the way I found and collected so many other beautiful baking and decorating bits and pieces. I kinda think that I might not have this blog if it was not for that cookie that ignited my passion for all things baking.
Of course you will not have the same difficulty finding a cutter as I did as these days it's as easy as clicking a button (some links below).
I think these cutters are so cute that they can be made with minimal decorating so I've only added a dusting of icing sugar to let the shape shine.
I can only hope one of my blog posts might inspire someone else the same way I was inspired by a cookie all those years ago.
Happy Baking
Shop the photo shoot
Simply Sweet Home - Cherry tin, tea towel, mini latte cup and mini bowl all Greengate
Fine Nordic - Pink bowl with candy (IB Laursen) and Love pitcher (Krasilnikoff)
Butterfly Cookie Cutter
- this link to amazon
Hazelnut Linzer Cookie Recipe makes around 12 double filled Flutterheart butterfly cookies
I used a butterfly cutter (approx 8cm or 3.25"), heart plunger and small rose leaf#/teardrop shape cutter (12mm or 0.5") . #my rose leaf was from the Ateco 12 piece flower & leaf cutter set see below example.
You can just use a regular linzer cutter instead.
225 g (8oz) unsalted butter room temperature
100f (3 1/2 oz) or 1/2 cup sugar * I used caster (superfine) sugar
1 large egg yolk
300 g (10 1/2 oz) or 2 cups plain (all purpose) flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
80g (2 3/4oz) hazelnut meal (ground hazelnut) # you can substitute almond if preferred
1/2 cup cherry jam (jelly)
In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the sugar and butter at high speed for a couple of minutes until light and creamy. Reduce the speed to medium low and mix in the egg yolk, scraping down the sides as required. Add the flour, hazelnut meal, cinnamon and salt and mix at low speed until combined.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours until the mixture is firm.
Dust your workbench with flour and generously flour a rolling pin, then roll out the dough and cut out shapes as desired. (If you have difficulty rolling out this dough you can roll it out between 2 sheets of nonstick/baking paper, then chill until ready to cut).
Cut out butterfly shapes, place the cookies on trays lined with baking paper. Leave half the cookies as they are and cut shapes out of the remaining half, using a heart plunger cutter to cut a heart in each wing and teardrop cutters to cut 2 shapes at the bottom of each wing (see picture below).
Place the trays into the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and bake the cookies until golden (around 12 - 15 mins).
Allow the cookies to cool on the tray.
Place the jam (jelly) in a microwave safe bowl and heat at high for 20 - 30 seconds until just starting to bubble. Stir until smooth.
Place the jam (jelly) into a disposable piping bag (or ziplock bag) but a small hole in the corner and pipe jam onto half of the cookies (the half without the bits cut out). Gently press the remaining cookies onto the top of the jam topped cookies using the jam to stick the cookie into place.
If desired pipe a little extra jam into the heart and teardrop cut outs.
Cookies in picture have been dusted with icing sugar (powdered sugar) just prior to serving.
Linda Vandermeer is a blogger, baker, maker and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores.
Affiliate links may earn me money and contribute to supporting this blog.
Simply Sweet Home is owned by my sister-in-law.
Original Ideas, photography and recipes by Linda Vandermeer please do not reuse without permission.
