Ischler Cookies
MAKES ABOUT 30
These beautiful, delicate sandwich cookies have their origin in the Austro-Hungarian empire and date back almost 200 years. See all five 2021 Holiday Cookie Recipe Contest Winners.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (cut into pieces, at room temperature)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cup almond flour or finely ground almonds (See Cook's Tip)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon (and up to 1/4 teaspoon, according to taste)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- To Assemble Cookies:
- 1 1/2 cup apricot preserves
- 1 cup finely chopped, high-quality, dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
Directions
- With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on low speed until blended. Increase speed to high and beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in almond flour and cinnamon, followed by all-purpose flour.
- Turn dough out onto parchment paper. Wrap well and chill for a couple of hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 325°F.
- Roll chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness. With a 2-inch biscuit cutter, cut dough into rounds. Re-roll scraps, chilling dough if it becomes too soft, and cut into circles. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until set and dry on top. (Bake at low end of range for a tender cookie and higher end of range for a crispier cookie.) Remove cookies to wire rack to cool.
- To assemble cookies, line a couple trays with parchment paper. Spoon 1 - 2 teaspoons apricot preserves on bottom side of one cookie. Top with another cookie to make a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies. Melt chocolate (see Cook's Tips). Holding each cookie sandwich at an angle, dip cookie into melted chocolate so that a third of the top is coated. Tap to remove excess. Before chocolate cools, dip chocolate edge of each sandwich in finely chopped almonds. Place on parchment-covered tray to dry.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze.
Cook Tips
To grind almonds without turning them into butter, pulse blanched or slivered almonds in a food processor with a little bit of the all-purpose flour from the recipe.
To melt chocolate, place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 15-second increments, stirring in between and being careful not to burn.
Nutrition
- Calories: 230
- Fat: 12.0 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0.0 g
- Cholesterol: 20.0 mg
- Sodium: 65.0 mg
- Carbohydrates: 26.0 g
- Fiber: 1.0 g
- Added Sugars: 5.0 g
- Sugar: 0.0 g
- Protein: 3.0 g