TWD Double Header: Linzer Sables and Sugar Cookies

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Everybody loves a good bargain, don't they? My favorites are the "Buy One, Get One Free" deals. Sometimes, I'll buy something that I don't even need, just because I can't resist the "BOGO". Well, today, dear readers, you are getting two of Dorie's terrific cookies for the price of one!

Last week's TWD assignment were her Linzer Sables, selected by Noskos of Living the Life. I did actually bake the cookies last Tuesday, but with everything that has been happening here in SGCC Land lately, I never got around to posting about them.

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Linzer Sables are deliciously spicy little sandwich cookies made with ground nuts and traditionally filled with jam. Though I have made these cookies before, I had never tried Dorie's recipe for them. As I mentioned, the recipe calls for some type of ground nuts. My preference was hazelnuts, but I didn't have any and couldn't seem to find them at the two markets near my house. I did, however, have lots of almonds, so I used those. For the filling, I stuck with the tried and true and used red raspberry jam.

While I can't say that they were the best Linzer cookies I've ever had, I will say that everyone who tried them liked them very much. They were nutty, buttery and crunchy. The sables, themselves, were not overly sweet, and the jam was the perfect counterpart to them. All in all, I would probably make them again.

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This week's TWD assignment was much more versatile. Grandma's All Occasion Sugar Cookies recipe , chosen by Ulrike from Küchenlatein, produces a basic sugar cookie dough that can serve as a backdrop for many different flavors and applications, and is suitable for any occasion. It can be rolled out and cut into shapes or made into a log for slice and bake cookies.

I made two batches of dough for this assignment. One was for the original vanilla sugar cookies and the other was flavored with some almond essence that I brought back from St. Lucia. I formed the almond cookie dough into a log for slice and bake cookies. Before baking, I also topped them with a mixture of granulated sugar and sliced almonds. They were soft and chewy with a lovely almond flavor. I ate five before I ever left the house!

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The vanilla sugar cookie dough is still sitting in my fridge waiting to be cut into shapes and decorated for Christmas. I really, really wanted to get them finished for today too, but my 6 year-old nephews called me yesterday and invited me to go visit Santa with them. Well, what can I say? When a girl gets an invitation like that from her two favorite guys, she just has to accept! The rest of the cookies will just have to wait.

I thought that this was a very nice sugar cookie recipe. The dough was easy to throw together and it turned out a nice, tasty and tender cookie. I'd love to see how they would turn out using some lemon or orange zest in the dough. I'll bet they'd be great!

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If you're interested in trying either of these cookie recipes, they can be found in Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours, or at Noskos' site and Ulrike's site. As always, you can see more creative incarnations of both recipes by visiting the TWD blogroll.

Comments

Sihan said…
adore the sliced almonds on top! must have given that extra crunch! lovely!
Unknown said…
Hi Susan -- Love this post, but mainly wanted to respond to the post below -- I am so sorry about how tough this holiday season is and I am keeping you in my thoughts. Take good care.
Manggy said…
Hmm... I love a good sale, but buy one get one... Hmm... It'll have to be something I really, really want, if I want two of it! :OP
On the other hand, this is one BOGO that is truly welcome ;) Your cookies are looking very elegant! Even the sugar cookies have a European flair to them!
Cristine said…
They both look great! I want one of those almond sugar cookies now! :)
vibi said…
Both cookies are amazing, but I do have a thing for the thickness of your sugar cookies... okay! I admit, for the slivered almonds too! ...I could anyone resist them anyways, right!?
Beautiful!
Anonymous said…
I posted a doubleheader this week, too. I love the thickness of your sugar cookies.
Nina Timm said…
I'll try the lemon zest and orange flavor and let you know! I love the almonds too....ahh damn, I'll have to make a few batches now!
squawmama said…
Hi Susan... Thanks for the wonderful post today... Those cookies look so yummy... I hope your family is doing well... You all are still in my thoughts... Have a blessed day...

(((HUGS)))
Donna
chocolatechic said…
I love the almonds on top.

I added orange zest to mine.
Mary said…
Your cookies look really yummy! And I love the penguin!
Marthe said…
Yum, both cookies look delicious!!
Snooky doodle said…
Both cookies look great. I m eager to try different flavours to the cookie recipe :) yummy
Yum yum yum. I love the little penguin friend you have. How many did HE eat?
RecipeGirl said…
Mmmmm. Delicious looking pictures too. Love both of them.
Jules Someone said…
The almond version sounds really yummy. I may have to try that.
Lisa said…
Nice variation on the sugar cookies! I like the almonds on top, festive but understated. And btw, cute penguin.
Fit Chick said…
Slice and bake was the way to go with these; yummmm almonds. Nice job.
J.L. Danger said…
I hope your family is doing ok....how is your uncle?
Anonymous said…
Your photos are great, as usual. BOGO sales are the bomb!
MaryBeth said…
Both cookies look wonderful, all we need is a large glass of milk.
Engineer Baker said…
Love the snowy shower on the linzers and the sprinkling of almonds on the sugar cookies - so pretty. Glad you could get caught up, there's nothing like BOGO :)
Anonymous said…
ooh. I'm so totally going to copy you with the almonds on mine. Sweet idea.
Anonymous said…
Beautiful cookies. The almond sugar cookies look amazing.
I love these! And that penguin is too cute!
Now these are some good looking cookies!

-DTW
www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Anonymous said…
The cookies all look great yummm!! and that penguin is awesomee :D
Two is always better than one!!!!
Anonymous said…
I love what you did with the sugar cookies! Those look divine! I don't know what I did wrong with the Linzer Sables, but I could NOT roll mine out...oh well, at least the sugar cookies turned out well! Hope you are doing well and you are in my thoughts and prayers!
Linzer cookies are one of my favorite types of cookies. I love having those huge ones you get at diners. Yummmmmmmmm.

thanks for doubling my pleasure today.
kimberly salem said…
they are all beautiful! :) i love almond flavor, i'll have to give that a try next time!
Patsyk said…
Both cookies look wonderful! Can't wait to see how you decorate the cookies you still have left to bake.
Debbie said…
Both of your cookies look great....
Anonymous said…
That sugar cookie is perfect, I love the thickness! Just beautiful.
Anonymous said…
I'm glad you were able to get caught up and share the linzer sables along with the sugar cookies.

Both cookies look great!
PheMom said…
Both of your cookie types look fantastic!! I seriously love them both!
CookiePie said…
Lovely cookies! Both look fabulous and I bet they taste wonderful :)
grace said…
the cookies are both fabulous, as expected, but i'm loving your little penguin most of all! i adore those little guys. :)
Lori Lynn said…
I really like both! Love almonds. Cute little penguin too!
Jaime said…
great job w/the cookies - love the penguin too!

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