Walnut linzer cookies

Walnut linzer cookies. Believed to have originated in the City of Linz, Germany, linzer cookies are traditionally two round cookies held together with a layer of preserves or jam. The raspberry fruit filling used in this soft buttery cookie complements the nutty flavour of the walnuts. Photo Courtesy/CALIFORNIA WALNUT

 Icing
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp rum or vanilla
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Filling
1 cup raspberry jam

Heat oven to 350 F.

In bowl beat butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, about three minutes.

In small bowl whisk together flour, walnuts and cinnamon.

Stir flour mixture into butter until well blended. Divide dough into three pieces and shape into discs. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disc to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 1 1/2 inch round fluted cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds. Use a small cutter to make holes in the centre of half of the rounds. Arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets about one-inch apart and chill in fridge for 15 minutes.

Bake the cookies in the centre of preheated oven, one sheet at a time, until cookies are pale golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to rack and let cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.

In bowl, whisk together icing sugar and rum. Brush over cookies with cutouts and sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts. Spoon about 1 tsp of the jam onto the bottom side of the solid cookies. Top with cutout cookies. Repeat with remaining cookies.

Walnut crescent cookies

2 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup ground walnuts

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup vanilla sugar

In food processor pulse together flour, walnuts, salt, cinnamon and icing sugar to combine. Pulse in vanilla and eggs. Add butter and pulse to form dough, about 30 seconds.

Shape dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to two days.

Heat oven to 325 F.

Form chilled dough into little finger shaped cookies, about 1 1/4-inch in length. Shape into crescents and place on parchment lined cookie trays one-inch apart. Bake in preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

Brush warm baked cookies with melted butter and roll in vanilla sugar.

Cool cookies completely on wire rack.

Walnut chocolate macaroons
Cookie
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla sugar or pure vanilla extract
2 cups walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup dark chocolate, chopped

Drizzle
3/4 cup dark chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp 35 per cent whipping cream
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

Heat oven to 350 F.

In a bowl, beat egg whites with salt using a hand mixer on medium high speed; gradually add sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in walnuts and chocolate.

Fill pastry bag fitted with a one-inch round tip with dough and for each cookie pipe about 1 tbsp of dough onto non-stick or parchment lined cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake on middle rack for about 15 minutes, until cookies are puffed and tops appear dry.

Let cool one minute in pan and transfer to rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, add chocolate and cream in bowl and melt in microwave on high for one minute. Stir until completely smooth. Pour melted chocolate into a plastic freezer bag and cut a small hole from the bottom tip of the bag to create a makeshift piping bag.

Drizzle chocolate over macaroons and sprinkle with walnuts.

~ Recipes courtesy of walnutinfo.com