Art of Gluten-Free Baking

Giant Linzer Cookie, Gluten-Free

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As you know, I attended the Big Summer Potluck this past August at the home of the Three Many Cooks, Pam, Maggy, Sharon, and David. They are lovely people and gracious hosts. I so enjoyed meeting and spending time with them.

Even though it was a low-key, friendly day, we got swag bag–fun!  One treat that was in it was an advance copy of Pam’s wonderful new cookbook, Perfect One Dish Dinners: All You Need for Easy Get Togethers.  Of course, as soon as I arrived back in Seattle, I started baking from this book. Yes, you know me–baking is my thing!   The first thing I baked was Nanny’s Victoria Sponge.  This cake is a winner. I have made it countless times. It is delicious, simple, and it is perfect for those times when you need a cake but don’t want to spend too much time on it. Also, it allows me to use my homemade jam in between the two layers–always a plus!

Well, I have another adaptation from the book that is now in regular rotation at our house. The Giant Linzer Cookie is an awesome idea. It is basically a sandwich cookie that is the size of a pizza–with a jam filling. And you slice it like you would slice a pizza. I brought this to a potluck recently and it was a hit. Everyone loved how fun the concept was.  Of course, when they tasted it, that sealed the deal–it’s delicious! The cookie is light and delicate and is just perfect with the jam filling. Seriously yummy!

Giant Linzer Cookie, Gluten-Free
-adapted from Perfect One Dish Dinners: All You Need for Easy Get-Togethers, by Pam Anderson

Special Equipment Needed
-a stand mixer is very helpful, although a hand mixer is fine
-large cookie sheets or 12″ round pizza pans
-one 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter (optional)

Ingredients
2 1/2 C (365g) Jeanne’s Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Mix
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C (2 sticks; 16 oz; 230g) unsalted butter at cool room temperature
1 C (200g) granulated sugar
1/2 C (120ml) jam (raspberry or apricot are very nice here)
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat your butter until creamy–about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar–beat for another 2 minutes. Add the eggs, beat for about a minute–until fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined. Add flour and salt mixture, mix on low speed until the dough forms.

Remove 1/2 C of dough and reserve it for separate use (like smaller cookies for later). Divide remaining dough into 2 fairly equal parts. At this point you can follow 1 of 2 methods. The first method (the one recommended in the book) is to press the each 1/2 portion of dough into a 12 inch pizza pan. This will give you the most matching of halves. The other method, the one I used (because I don’t have 2 12″ pizza pan) is to roll each 1/2 portion of dough into roughly the same-sized 12 inch rounds. You can see from my photo that my two halves were not exactly matched. But that’s OK–this cookie is delicious no matter what. If you want to, use your cookie cutter to cut a hole in the middle of 1 of the rounds of dough. This will give your giant cookie a cute look with a jam-filled holed in the middle. I don’t do this, but it doesn’t affect the taste!

Bake about 25 minutes–until they look firm and are golden brown around the edges. Let the cookies cool for about 2 minutes–until firm but still a bit pliable. Carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Up to a few hours before serving, microwave your jam for about 30 seconds–until it is slightly melted and easy to spread. Spread over the flat side of 1 of the cookie rounds.

Carefully and gently place the other round, mounded side up, on top of the jam-covered cookie.

Dust top of sandwich with sifted powdered sugar.

Cut into wedges with a pizza cutter (yes, a pizza cutter works fine) or a large knife.

Enjoy!

Note:  If you use a different gluten-free flour mix, alter the amount of or eliminate the xanthan gum or use a different gluten-replacer, use dairy-free or egg-free substitutes, or change any other ingredients in this recipe, your results may not match my results.

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Comments

  2. Lori @ RecipeGirl

    I love this cookie and I want to make it soon. I’m thinking I’ll make it over Christmas w/ Mom who is #GF. Thanks for adapting to make it gluten free… I haven’t experimented much w/ that yet!

  3. Tickled Red

    That looks so good! It makes you want to slide a finger through the powdered sugar 🙂 I can’t wait to give it a try. I’m still bummed that we didn’t get to chat with each other at BSP, next time 😉

    • admin

      You’re so right about the powdered sugar! And yes, I am bummed I didn’t get a chance to chat with you more. It was such a full day. Hopefully we will get a chance to chat more next time! 🙂

    • admin

      I know–it’s so fun! This cookie tastes so good, but the pizza slice styling sends it over the top in fun factor. It’s a terrific party dessert!

  9. Michelle (What's Cooking)

    I love to see how you adapt recipes to make them gluten-free. I will try your gf flour mix sometime when I do some of my cooking classes for kids – I hate to think that they can’t enjoy the same types of homemade treats if they have a gluten intolerance. Are you going to Austin for the IACP conference this year? Maybe I”ll see you there 🙂 I am the co-chair for the Kids in the Kitchen section.

    • admin

      Michelle: Yes, I will be at IACP! Yay! We will finally be able to meet. And you are so right–it’s awful when kids can’t be a part of the gatherings. The flour mix is really terrific–no one can tell it’s gluten-free. Yay!

  11. maggy@threemanycooks

    Wow Jeanne! You truly are an expert GF baker. The Linzer Cookie looks absolutely delicious 🙂 So good to see you in Seattle….thank you again for inviting us into your beautiful home and sharing a meal with mom and me. We <3 you 🙂

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