Linzer Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks

The dough has a mixture of all-purpose flour and almond flour. It is kissed with a touch of cocoa powder which especially deepens the flavor. This is the secret touch of the recipe. However, be aware it needs to be chilled for at least two hours. Your patience will be rewarded. I promise you.

I can’t say this is the easiest cookie recipe to create. Working with this dough to cut the strips was time-consuming. However, I found it meditative. As many people can attest, baking can be therapy. Consequently, creating this lattice topping for these Linzer Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks was stress relieving. By the way, the trick to making the dough behave is to keep it as cold as possible.

Don’t worry about perfection!

The good part is if you are a bit lazy like me when cutting things evenly (you can use a ruler if you like), No problem. Because if the dough strips are uneven. Or if you have a problem with them breaking and have to press the ends back together, don’t fret.  The cookies STILL emerge from the oven looking pretty. This is my kind of recipe.

These Linzer Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks are not too sweet. I love the flavor contrast of the tart cherry and the chocolate chips.

If you don’t have cheery brandy, use rum or leave out the alcohol completely. The recipe makes a lot of cookies. I cut up about half of them. Wrap the remaining uncut half in plastic cling film and place it in a large ziplock bag. Then store it in the freezer.

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Linzer Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Sticks

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine Austrian, German

Prep Time 1 hour

Cook Time 35 minutes

Chill Time 2 hours

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

Servings 4 Dozen

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 +1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 shot kirschwasser or cherry brandy
• 1 +1/2 cups cherry jam
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

1. Sift the flour into a separate bowl. Whisk in the almond flour, nutmeg, cocoa powder and lemon zest. Set aside.
2. Beat together the butter, sugars, and vanilla until creamy.
3. Beat in the egg.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine.
5. Beat in the cherry brandy.
6. Divide the dough in half, wrap each piece in plastic cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
7. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 10 x 14 baking sheet.
8. Take one half of the dough out of the fridge roll it out evenly inside the baking sheet.
9. Brush with the cherry jam then sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the jam.
   
10. Remove half of the remaining dough from the fridge. Roll it out into a rectangle and use a sharp knife to cut long strips.
11. Lay the dough strips on top of the jam chocolate chip mixture diagonally starting from one corner.
    
12. Remove the remaining dough from the fridge and repeat, placing another layer of strips in the other direction.
    
13. Whisk together the egg yolk and milk and brush it over the dough lattice.
    
14. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
15. Remove from oven, let cool 10 minutes before cutting into strips. Plate and serve.