Tender shortcrust sandwiches with snowy ring tops and a bright apricot-jam window.
Occhi di Bue
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Allow about 166 minutes: 40 hands-on, 60 chilling or resting, 36 whole-batch cooking and 30 cooling/setting. Cooling includes tray rest. Follow the method for batch sizes and doneness cues.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale and US measures
- Mixing bowl
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- 2-inch round cutter and 3/4-inch cutter
- Three 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Fine sieve
- Cooling rack
Tender shortcrust sandwiches with snowy ring tops and a bright apricot-jam window.
Ingredients
Optional sprinkles are for decoration and are not included in the nutrition estimate. Spice weights are approximate.
Instructions
Make shortcrust
- 1Make shortcrustRub flour and butter into fine crumbs. Mix in 80 g powdered sugar and salt, then yolks, vanilla and zest. Press just until the crumbs join into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
Cut bases and rings
- 2Cut bases and ringsHeat oven to 350°F (177°C) conventional or 325°F (163°C) fan. Roll between parchment to 1/4 inch thick. Cut 40 rounds using a 2-inch cutter, rerolling scraps briefly as needed. Cut a 3/4-inch window in 20 tops and return the center scraps to the dough. Arrange on three lined 13 × 18-inch sheets, about 14 per sheet, 1 inch apart.
Bake and cool
- 3Bake and coolBake one sheet at a time 10–12 minutes, 36 minutes for all sheets. Separate rings from solid bases where practical and check the rings early; their edges should be barely golden. Rest 5 minutes on the sheet and cool another 25 minutes on a rack.
Dust and sandwich
- 4Dust and sandwichDust only the 20 ring tops with the measured finishing sugar. Spread 8 g apricot jam on each solid base, leaving a narrow border. Lower a ring onto each base without smearing sugar onto the visible jam. Forty baked halves make 20 finished cookies.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Handle shortcrust briefly so it stays tender rather than elastic.
Technique & texture
Keep the window scraps for rerolling to preserve the intended yield.
Finishing & serving
Dust tops before assembly for a clear, glossy jam center.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 3 days | Keep airtight in a cool room; jam gradually softens the crumb. |
| Refrigeration | Up to 5 days | Refrigerate airtight if the room is warm; thaw the chill in the closed box. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 1 month | Freeze the wrapped shortcrust disk and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 1 month | Freeze unfilled, undusted halves in a rigid box. |
| Restoring | Before serving | Thaw halves sealed, then dust and fill. |
Notes
- Handle shortcrust briefly so it stays tender rather than elastic. Keep the window scraps for rerolling to preserve the intended yield. Dust tops before assembly for a clear, glossy jam center. This home formula has not been kitchen-tested.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 20; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
THE COOKIE INDEXITALIANCHRISTMAS COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
How many baked pieces do I need?
Twenty solid bases and twenty ring tops make twenty sandwiches.
Can I fill them before baking?
This method fills cooled baked halves; baking the jam inside changes the result.
Why did the rings brown first?
The center opening leaves less dough. Bake rings together and remove as soon as their edges color.
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Share a little Italian Christmas joy
Send this recipe to someone who loves to bake.
