1 1/4cup(150g) pretzel flour (I pulsed pretzels in my blender until it reached flour consistency)
1cupand 2 tbsp (132g) all-purpose flour
1cup( 227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1cup(120 g) powdered sugar
1tspvanilla
For decorating wreaths
Royal icing
Pistachios, chopped
Freeze-dried raspberries
Sprinkles and edible gold leaf
For filling and decorating linzers
Jam of choice
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
In a food processor or blender, pulse pretzels until the texture resembles flour. Transfer pretzel flour into a medium bowl. Whisk in flour. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, 1 - 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until fully combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium speed for another 2 - 3 minutes, until the colour lightens and the texture becomes fluffy and smooth.
Add pretzel flour mixture to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Gather the dough into a ball. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface and transfer the dough to the centre of the plastic wrap. Flatten the dough to form a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F.
After dough has chilled, rough out dough on a lightly floured surface or between to sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch in thickness. Using cookie cutters of your choice, punch out the desired shapes. Transfer the cutouts to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and transfer baking sheet to freezer for 5 - 10 minutes. Freezing the cutouts will prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven.
Bake cookies until golden brown, about 8 - 11 minutes, depending on the size of your cutouts. Wreaths tend to bake quickest since they are hollowed out. Keep a close eye!
When ready, remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to cooling rack to cool complete.
To decorate wreaths
Make your royal icing (a combination of icing sugar and milk/water should be at the consistency of honey). Dip the top of a wreath cookie in royal icing and allow excess to drip off. Return dipped cookie to cool rack. Before the icing sets, sprinkle chopped pistachio, freeze-dried raspberries, and sprinkles. Repeat with remaining wreath cookies. You want to dip them one at a time so the icing doesn't set before you get a chance to decorate them. Allow glaze to dry completely before serving
To make linzers
Arrange cookies with the cutouts on a separate cooling rack. Dust a thin layer of powdered sugar on the cookies. Using a spoon, put a teaspoon or so of jam at the centre of the bottom cookie (without the cutout). Take a sugar-dusted cookie and place it on top of the jam.
Arrange all the decorating and filled in a cookie tin! I like to store the jam filled ones and the plain shortbread cookies separately so they last longer.
Notes
Yield: 40 - 50 small shortbread cookies (more if you don't make any sandwiches, less if you do!)