Description
Experience the timeless charm of authentic German Spitzbuben, a delicate sandwich cookie featuring a buttery hazelnut shortcrust and a bright strawberry jam center. These “little rascals” perfectly balance the earthy richness of toasted nuts with a refreshing hint of lemon zest.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cold unsalted butter, cubed
- Egg yolks (grade M)
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla sugar
- Ground hazelnuts
- Fresh lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
- Strawberry jam
- Fresh lemon juice
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, cubed cold butter, egg yolks, granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, ground hazelnuts, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. Quickly work the ingredients into a smooth dough by hand or with a pastry cutter.
- Wrap the dough tightly in cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flour to hydrate and the butter to firm up.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thickness. Use a round cutter for the base pieces and a windowed cutter (with a star or circle center) for the top pieces.
- Bake on the middle rack for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are very lightly golden. Carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Stir strawberry jam and lemon juice in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth and slightly runny.
- Dust the windowed top cookies with powdered sugar. Place a small teaspoon of warm jam on the solid base cookies, then press the sugar-dusted tops onto the bases so the jam peeks through the center.
Notes
To ensure the most tender texture, handle the dough as little as possible to keep the butter from melting before it hits the oven. If your kitchen is warm, work with only half of the dough at a time while keeping the rest in the refrigerator. Using a high-quality fruit-dense jam will provide the most vibrant color and concentrated flavor for the centers.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German