Raspberry Linzer Bars with Coconut Sugar
My husband’s favorite Christmas cookies are linzer cookies. I had honestly never had one before I met him but of course I started to bake them for him each year. I tried a few different recipes over the years but ultimately I just felt like making the linzer cookies was a bit of a chore, with having to roll out the dough and cut out the base and then the top and then cut a hole in the top piece and oh my. So this year, I decided to try a new recipe that turns the linzer cookies into a bar - such a great idea! I adapted this recipe from one by Della Gossett for Food & Wine and swapped the granulated sugar for coconut sugar.
As a reminder, coconut sugar is the dehydrated and boiled sap of the coconut palm flower. Because coconut sugar goes through minimal processing, it retains many of its inherent antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals - especially in comparison to the standard granulated white or brown sugars, which are heavily processed. For those of you who may not be a big fan of coconut, I just want to note that the coconut sugar does not have a noticeable coconut flavor.
These linzer bars are definitely a winning recipe and I’ll be making them every year going forward. I hope you’ll give them a try!
Makes one 9x13 pan
Ingredients
180 grams all-purpose flour
90 grams rye flour
45 grams almond flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
180 grams coconut sugar
Zest from one lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 egg yolks
10 ounces raspberry jam
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the three flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, coconut sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract on medium speed for about 3-5 minutes, until smooth and well incorporated. Add the egg yolks one at a time, mixing after each addition. Then slowly add in the flour mixture and mix just until combined.
Divide the dough into 2 disks - one that is about 2/3 of the dough and the other the remaining 1/3. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight or until firm.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9x13 baking pan. Break up the larger disk of dough into smaller chunks into the baking pan and then using the palm of your hand, flatten the dough so that it evenly covers the bottom of the pan. Spread the raspberry jam on top of this layer of dough. Break up the remaining disk of dough into small chunks that evenly cover the top of the bars.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the edges are a deep golden brown. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool.
