Low-Carb Linzer Cookies

These sinful-looking cookies – inspired by the ancient Linzer Torte, which dates back to the 17th century -- are only 7 grams of carbohydrates each, thanks to the wonder of almond flour. Almonds, as you may know if you're on a glucose control regimen, are the ultimate wonder food: low in carbohydrates, high in fiber, high on the satisfaction index. 

Yeild: about 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup no-calorie granulated sweetener (such as Splenda)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut in 1/4" pieces (one stick, 4 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups almond meal/flour (such as Bob's Red Mill ground blanched almonds)
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons ice water
• 2 1/2 tablespoons unsugared seedless raspberry jam (such as Polanar)
• 2 teaspoons powdered sugar (confectioners sugar; 10x)

Method

Preheat oven to 350º.

1. Place sweetener, salt, butter, almond extract, cinnamon, almond flour and all-purpose flour in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse repeatedly to incorporated butter with the meal. Do not overprocess.

2. Add ice water and pulse briefly to combine.

3. Place contents of the processor bowl into a one-gallon food storage bag. Knead for a few seconds to coalesce ingredients into a lump. Chill dough for 30 minutes in the freezer.

5. Divide chilled dough into 4 equal portions. Place 3 portions back in the refrigerator. 

6. Roll remaining portion of dough between sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of about 1/8".

7. Cut rolled dough with a cookie-cutter into 2" rounds. 

8. Using a steel spatula, transfer one-half of the 2" rounds to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

9. Using mini-cookiecutters or a small knife, cut shapes from the center of remaining rounds. Remove shapes from rounds.

10. Spread 1/4 teaspoon of the jam on each of the rounds on the baking sheet. 

11. Place one of the shape-removed rounds on each of the whole rounds on the baking sheet. 

12. Repeat steps 6 through 11 for each of the remaining portions of dough. 

13. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated 350º oven. 

14. Immediately after removing from oven, sift the powdered sugar over the cookies.   

15. Allow to cool thoroughly before removing from baking sheet.                         

Nutritional Estimate 30 Cookies. Per cookie: 96 Calories; 7 g Total Carbs; 1 g Dietary Fiber; 1 g Sugars; 7 g Fat; 8 mg Cholesterol; 41 mg Sodium; 2 g Protein. Weight Watchers: 2 points.