Description
These Salted Caramel Linzer Cookies combine tender, buttery cookie layers with a luscious homemade salted caramel filling. Perfectly balanced with a touch of flaky sea salt, they make an elegant treat for any occasion with a delightful sweet and salty flavor pairing.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Salted Caramel:
- 1 1/3 cup white sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make the Cookie Dough: In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, cream the butter, sugar and salt together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, beating until combined. Gradually add the flour in two batches, mixing until just combined after each addition. Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, ideally 3 hours.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dough for Baking: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove one dough disc from fridge, allowing it to slightly warm for about 10 minutes if very cold. Place dough between parchment sheets and roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer the dough with parchment to a baking sheet and freeze for 5 minutes to firm up.
- Cut and Bake Cookies: Use a cookie cutter to stamp out cookie shapes, ensuring half have a smaller cut-out center for the Linzer effect. Arrange cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets spaced 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps and repeat. Bake one tray at a time for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Cool on baking sheet before transferring to wire rack.
- Make the Salted Caramel: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine sugar and water. Cook until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and cook without stirring for approximately 5 minutes until the mixture turns from clear to light golden, then lower heat slightly and cook to a golden brown. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until melted and foamy. Slowly add heavy cream, stirring constantly until smooth. Return to low heat for about a minute if caramel is very light. Stir in vanilla extract and cool slightly until thickened but still pourable.
- Assemble Cookies: Place the cookie tops with cut-out centers on a cooling rack and dust generously with powdered sugar. Spread a scant teaspoon of caramel onto the back of each solid cookie bottom. Sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt on the caramel. Sandwich the caramel-topped bottoms with the dusted tops. Store assembled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Make the cookie dough a day ahead to streamline assembly and enhance flavor.
- You can bake the cookies a day in advance and assemble them the next day.
- Keep cookie cutter shapes simple (circles, stars) to avoid breakage or difficulty stamping out centers.
- A small round cookie cutter or a piping tip works well for cutting the centers of the top cookies.
- If caramel thickens too much, warm gently for 10 seconds in the microwave to make it pourable again.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24g (1 cookie)
- Calories: 223
- Sugar: 19g
- Sodium: 29mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 32mg
