Lemon Poppy Linzer Cookies – Vegan & Gluten Free

How this recipe works:
The dough is easy to work with! Comes together in a shiny ball, then rolled to 1/4 inch thick in-between waxed paper sheets.
Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter and place on a cookie sheet. Create “dot” openings with the end of a pastry tip… or indent with your fingers. Fill holes with your favorite jam, and refrigerate the sheet until the cookies are cold – this insures they will hold their shape. Bake until crispy and enjoy!

To prepare:
Measure confectioner’s sugar in a 1/2 c. dry measuring cup.
Take out  2T. of the confectioner’s sugar and add with and almonds to a small food processor and run until finely ground (the sugar helps to keep it dry and not a paste.) Set aside.

Place the solid coconut oil, neutral oil, cane sugar and lemon rind in the bowl of a stand mixer. Blend for 30 seconds. Add the remaining confectioner’s sugar and blend using a moderate speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
Scrape sides with a rubber spatula.

Add the almond extract, ground almonds, gluten free flour and poppy seeds.
Mix on low speed for 1 minute. Will be a little crumbly.

Tear a large sheet of waxed paper (about 18″ long) on your work surface.
Gather the dough with your hands, and shape it into a ball on one side of the paper.
Cover with the paper, roll to 1/4″ thick – about an 8′ x 9″ rectangle.
Place on a sheet pan and refrigerate 10 -15 minutes until just firm.

Now, uncover the dough and cut 2 1/2 inch cookies with a cookie cutter.
Oil a cookie sheet lightly and add the cookies 1″ apart.

Using the end of a pastry tip (about 1/2″ wide) , cut out 3 “holes.” Add back just a little dough with your fingers into each hole, so that the jam will fit in like a pocket (see picture # 5 in the blog.) Can also make indentations with your finger.
Fill each hole with desired jam. Use a small spoon, or fill use a pastry bag with a small flat tip.

Refrigerate the cookie sheet until very firm, about 20 minutes – this ensures the cookies keep their shape.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Bake until golden around the edges 15 – 18 minutes.
Cool on the sheet a few minutes, then remove to cool fully on a baking rack.

The dough is made in a stand mixer, although you can whisk the dough in the beginning, and fold in remaining dry ingredients with a rubber spatula.

** use the jam of your choice. Try a natural raspberry jam with seeds (ingredients raspberries and sugar) or try my Quick Orange Marmalade (see recipe.)