Linzer Cookies and The Great Blogger Cookie Swap 2015


Today is the day of the grand unveiling of the 2015 great food blogger cookie swap. An event that was organized by Julie and Lindsay to help raise money for the national nonprofit Cookies for Kids Cancer. This foundation is committed to raising funds for research and new and improved treatments for pediatric cancer, the #1 disease killer of children in the U.S.

The cookie swap works like this; each person that signs up receives the names of 3 blogger's and their address. We are to ship each person 1 dozen of cookies by a certain date secret Santa style so no one knows who or what type of cookies they will receive. Sounds fun right? It was great, and anyone that knows me understands how much I love receiving packages in the mail. Plus it is for a good cause, a win, win situation in my book.

I received cookies from:

Oatmeal Spice cookies from Leslie of My Kitchen is Open from Texas





M&M cookies with Mint from Valerie of Valerie Brett from Hawaii


Pizzelles from Meggan of Culinary Hill from California. Sorry Meggan my husband got to them before I could take pictures and this is all that was left.


I was to ship cookies to:

Deborah of Little Flour from Missouri

Gemma of Party Style from California

Karyn of Pint Sized Baker from West Virginia


The hardest part was selecting which cookie to bake as there are so many different kinds to choose from. Surviving shipping was also a big factor in my decision. My first pick was Peanut Butter Blossoms which I did end up baking but after watching them melt right before my eyes I decided to bake raspberry Linzer cookies which I did ship.

This was my first time participating and certainly will not be my last. This was for a great cause and a wonderful way to meet other food bloggers.

This recipe has been slightly adapted  from the King Arthur Flour Website.

1-½ cups unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 lemons grated rind (zest)
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1-1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Raspberry jam for filling

To prepare:

Combine butter, sugar and zest in mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolks and vanilla, mix until well combined.

In a separate bowl; whisk together the flour, almond flour, and salt. Add to the sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Divide dough into fourths, wrap separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate about 1 hour.

When ready to bake:

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out cookies using your choice of cookie cutter. Transfer to baking sheet lined with parchment or siltpat. Use as much of the scrap dough as possible. Place rolled out cookies back in refrigerator for another 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Remove next disc from refrigerator, roll out dough to ¼ inch thick. Cut out cookies, but this time use your smallest cutter and cut out a shape in the middle of each cookie. Place in refrigerator and chill. Repeat this process until you have equal amount of tops and bottoms.

Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes, until edges begin to turn brown. After 5 minutes; transfer to rack let completely cool.

To fill cookies:

Place the cookies with holes in them together and sift confectioner’s sugar on top of them. Turn the bottoms flat side up and spoon ½ teaspoon of jam in the center, spreading slightly. Place top on. 

Take time to enjoy the holidays!



Comments

  1. Cookies look lovely and so does those wooden boxes.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Haddock, the box was a nice surprise. Thanks for stopping by.

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  2. a great idea ro give a treat to help a wonderful charity for kids .

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    1. Thanks Nee, you should join the group next year. It's a lot of fun too!

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  3. you made my mouth water this morning!

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  4. The cookie swap sounds like fun. Double fun, really. First you get to decide what to bake and send. Then you get to wait and see what you get! :-) Excellent choice of cookie on your part -- I'll bet everyone was delighted to receive them.

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  5. Such a beautiful cookie and great cause as well!

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  6. How wonderful. all those delicious cookies. What fun!!

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  7. I love Linzer cookies and yours look soooo delish. Great job Cheri!

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  8. Your Linzers look lovely, Cheri! It appears the rewards of this exchange were great in many ways <3 Bravo to you and the other bloggers!

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    1. Hi Kim, you are so right, the rewards outnumber everything else.Happy holidays to you!

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  9. Nice thoughts...really we all should help needy people..then the Earth will be more beautiful. Cookies are really so nice and delicious like all urs dishes.

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    1. I agree Moumita, the earth would be more beautiful, just have to get everyone else on board, sounds so simple.

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  10. What a neat thing to participate in, Cheri! I love the cookies you chose. They are so beautiful! I have never made that kind before. How does the money get raised? Do you have to pay to participate? I would love to do that next year. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

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    1. Hi Shari, oh it would be wonderful if you could participate next year, this was my first time, here is the link. http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2015/10/the-great-food-blogger-cookie-swap-2015.html
      Happy holidays Shari!!

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  11. What a great idea, Cheri. These look delightful. D

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  12. They look delicious. What a great idea to do a cookie swap too. I might have to do something like that next year.

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    1. Dannii that would be wonderful you can sign up anytime, here is the link http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2015/10/the-great-food-blogger-cookie-swap-2015.htm

      Happy holidays!

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  13. I have to try and make these over the holidays :)

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  14. Such a great idea and for such a good cause. Your cookie gifts look delicious and I'm not surprised your hubby gobbled up Meggan's delicious treats, lol. Merry Christmas, Cheri!

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    1. Hi Robyn, lol, yes you saw what I had scrapped together after the cookies had a few minutes alone with my husband. Happy holidays!

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  15. I am so glad these cookies turned out! I have always wanted to participate but I am so bad at shipping! Honest truth! These all look so good!

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    1. Hi Abbe, it was so much fun waiting for the cookies to arrive in the mail, totally worth it.

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  16. I keep seeing linzer and wishing I'd tried making some this year. I have to look into this cookie swap...I keep to say this at this late date in December all the time though! Lovely to see all these great cookies!

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    1. Hi Monica, you should join with your baking skills, lots of fun too. Take care, C

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  17. The cookie swap sounds like it is a lot of fun and goes for a great cause. Your Linzer cookies look wonderful and it looks like you received some yummy cookies in return.

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    1. Hi Dawn, yes, it was a great experience, cannot wait until next year.

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  18. How cool! And I love all of your cookies.

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  19. What fun, Cheri! Love Linzer cookies. And such a clever idea for her to mail her cookies in the wooden box.

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  20. Cookie swap sounds like fun! I regret that I had no clue about it,,,

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    1. Hi Marcela, you can sign up for next year if you want, here is the link, http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2015/10/the-great-food-blogger-cookie-swap-2015.htm

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  21. Such a fun tradition! Like others, I love that wood box too.

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  22. What a fun exchange! And so sorry your husband got almost all the pizzelle!

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    1. Hi David, I know that little devil, his mom usually sends us some every year but she is 96 now and is having a hard time seeing, not well enough to bake. She is amazing. Happy holidays!!

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  23. What a nice idea and good cause, Cheri! Your linzers look wonderful. Merry Christmas to you!

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  24. That's awesome that you participated in this years' cookie exchange and your cookies look amazing!

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  25. Dear Cheri, sounds like an absolutely wonderful event - love cookies and your post and surprises and all!!! What a fabulous cause - it must have been so much fun to particpate!

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  26. I just made some tea so a cookie would be wonderful. Any Linzers left?
    Amalia
    xo

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  27. Love Linzer cookies and this wonderful cause. I participated once but can't seem to get my act together to do it again. Looks like you got some great cookies from thoughtful bloggers. Have a very Merry Christmas!

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  28. Love the cookies you have chosen.. have a great Christmas...

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  29. How fun is this?! This is such a great thing to do.

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  30. Love the cookies. Love reading the post. Wonderful fun event. :)

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  31. Hi Cheri! Your cookies are gorgeous! I love these sorts of cookies with the pretty jam filling. And you were SO lucky to receive Meggan's pizzelles! Meggan is one of my favourite bloggers! Merry Christmas! :-)

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  32. Happy Holidays, Cheri!!! What a fabulous round-up! Thank you so much for sharing...

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  33. Such gorgeous cookies you sent (and received!). I love this event. Hope you had a marvelous Christmas!!!

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