Cranberry Linzer Cookies

Prepare: Gather all your ingredients to ensure a smooth baking process. (5 minutes)

Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. (5 minutes)

Incorporate Egg: Beat in the egg until fully incorporated, creating a smooth and creamy mixture. (2 minutes)

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution. (3 minutes)

Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Beat in the vanilla extract. (7 minutes)

Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24 hours, to allow the gluten to relax and the dough to firm up. (60 minutes)

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. (5 minutes)

Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Use round or Linzer cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. For the tops, use a smaller cutter to create a decorative center cutout. (15 minutes)

Bake: Place the cookie bottoms and tops 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are lightly golden, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. (12 minutes)

Cool: Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. (30 minutes)

Make the Cranberry Filling: While the cookies are cooling, combine the cranberries, brown sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the cranberries soften and the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. (10 minutes)

Finish the Filling: Stir in the butter and lemon juice. Remove from heat and let the filling cool completely. (15 minutes)

Assemble: Spread a small amount of the cooled cranberry filling onto the flat side of a cookie bottom. (5 minutes)

Top and Serve: Gently place a cookie top over the filling. Repeat with the remaining cookies and filling. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve. (10 minutes)