Mmm Mondays: Chocolate Linzer Hearts

To kick off our 14 days of Valentines series we are sharing a Valentine recipe for Mmm Monday. Be sure to check back each day for special Valentine treats including a Valentine themed giveaway!

Chocolate Linzer Hearts from Betty Crocker’s Cookie Book

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted skinned and ground
1/2 ounce semisweet baking chocolate, finely chopped
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 ounce semisweet baking chocolate, melted

Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, or mix with spoon. Beat in vanilla and eggs until smooth. Add remaining ingredients except jam and melted chocolate. Beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour (dough will be sticky).

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll one fourth of dough at a time between pieces of waxed paper until 1/8 inch thick. Keep remaining dough refrigerated until ready to roll. Cut with 2-inch heart-shape cookie cutter. Cut small heart shape from center of half of the 2-inch hearts, if desired. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until light brown Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam on bottom of whole heart cookies; top with cut-out heart cookie. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is firm.

Makes 3 dozen.

Please share one of your favorite recipes on your blog then come back here and leave your name and a link below. I know I could use some new recipes so this should be a nice way for all of us bloggers to share what works for our families!