Linzer Eyes

Prepare the dough

• 1
  Place the soft butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla sugar in a large bowl.
• 2
  Cream the butter and sugar with a hand mixer until fluffy. Then add the egg and mix well.
• 3
  Mix the baking powder with the flour and gradually sift it into the butter-sugar mixture.
• 4
  Knead the dough with your hands until smooth and pliable.

Let the dough rest

• 1
  Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This makes the dough firmer and easier to roll out.

Preheat the oven

• 1
  While the dough is resting, preheat the oven to 180°C (top/bottom heat) or 160°C (fan-assisted) and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Roll out and cut out the dough

• 1
  Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to a thickness of about 3-4 mm.
• 2
  Cut out circles with a round cutter, approx. 5cm in diameter. For half of the circles, cut out a small hole in the center (for the "eyes").

Bake

• 1
  Place the cut-out circles on the baking sheets and bake in the preheated oven for approx. 8-10 minutes until lightly golden brown.
• 2
  Afterward, let the cookies cool completely.

Fill & Finish

• 1
  Briefly warm the jam to make it more spreadable.
• 2
  Spread some jam on each whole cookie and place a cookie with a hole on top.
• 3
  Finally, dust the Linzer Eyes with powdered sugar.