Sunday Christmas cookies book and recipe

Today's book krewe chat is all about cookies! Do you have a favorite? 

Today's book 

NEW SERIES from USA Today Bestselling Author!

A shocking attack. A terrible truth. Will our unseasoned baker burn the wrong bridges? Cindy Claus enjoys her successful bakery business. She’s finally proven to be more than the heir to her father’s sleigh. But right in the middle of her busiest season, a panicked message from her regal mother threatens to destroy her dreams.

With Santa hovering on death’s doorstep and Cindy delivering the presents this year, she’ll need her new sleuthing skills and the help of her father’s trusted arctic fox to save Saint Nic. But without a major holiday miracle, this could be the beginning of the end…

Can Cindy corner the culprit, or will this be the world’s last Christmas?

Linzer Cookie Murder is the third book in the festive paranormal cozy series, Christmas Catastrophe Mysteries. If you like kind-hearted heroines, furry sidekicks, and a dash of mistletoe magic, then you’ll love Trixie Silvertale’s Yuletide puzzler.

Buy Linzer Cookie Murder to wrap up a mystery today !
*Features recipes from Cindy’s bakery!

Book Review 

Linzer Cookie Murder is the third book in the Christmas Catastrophe series, coming after Peppermint Cookie Murder and Apple Dumpling Murder, and it takes Cindy Clause’s journey in an exciting new direction. Instead of following Cindy and Arti around the cozy town of Silver Shoals, this installment sends them straight back to the North Pole—because Christmas itself is suddenly in danger. Santa has become deathly ill, and no one seems to understand why. Will Cindy and Arti be able to solve the mystery of who—or what—is making Santa so sick before Christmas is ruined?

What Are Linzer Cookies?

Austrian “Linzer Augen” or Linzer Eyes, are shortbread cookie sandwiches with small, round cut-outs (“eyes”) in the upper cookies where the fruit filling peeks through. Linzer cookies are named after the Linzer torte, a pastry filled with preserves and topped with a lattice crust. The main difference between a Linzer cookie and a Linzer torte, aside from the assembly, is that the fruit filling in the cookie is unbaked. These are a perfect Christmas cookie filled with nostalgia, you’re going to love them!

Linzer Cookies recipe 

• 1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup raspberry or strawberry preserves
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

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Instructions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix the butter and sugar together on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add in the vanilla and salt and mix until combined.
2. Turn mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just combined.
3. Remove the dough, flatten it into a disk and wrap in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 10 minutes, to take the chill off.
6. Dust a clean counter with flour and using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4- inch thick.
7. Cut out the dough using a round 2- inch round biscuit cutter or cookie cutter. In half of the rounds, cut out  circle (or shape) in the centers. You can use a small cookie cutter, or even the back of a piping tip.
8. Place the dough on the prepared baking sheet and place baking sheet in the freezer.
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F. When the oven is preheated, remove the baking sheet from the freezer and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
10. Transfer the cookie to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Once cooled, spread about 1 teaspoon of preserves on the bottoms of the solid cookies. Gently press the cut out cookies on top of the preserves.
12. Dust all the cookies with powdered sugar.

This week's images to print for your cookbook....