Mixed bull’s eye cookies are delicious pastries filled with peach jam and hazelnut cream, two overlapping discs of shortcrust pastry that enclose a creamy and tasty heart.
They are the classic cookies you see in pastry shops, but very simple to make at home, perfect for any occasion starting from breakfast, tea time or dessert, great to enjoy with a nice cup of tea.
The classic cookies have a simple round shape, but today they can also be made in different shapes: scalloped, flower, heart, star, etc., depending on occasions and holidays, and they can be filled to taste according to one’s preference.
Bull’s eye cookies are so called because they take their name from their round shape that resembles the calm eyes of an ox, and in the original version, filled with apricot jam and without powdered sugar on top, they also resemble the classic fried egg.
Today I prepared these cookies with mixed fillings using two different cutters, naturally the possible variations are endless, you can fill and decorate the cookies as you prefer.
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- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 25
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for the cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 7/8 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup butter
- Half teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg (medium)
- 1 grated lemon zest
- 1 pinch vanilla powder
- to taste peach jam
- to taste hazelnut cream
- to taste powdered sugar (for topping)
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Cutter round
- 1 Small Cutter flower shape
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Oven
Steps for Bull’s Eye Cookies
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a bowl with a hand spatula, work the soft butter with the sugar, using the K whisk at low speed, then add the egg, the grated lemon zest, and the vanilla, work everything until a cream is formed.
Add the sifted flour with the baking powder gradually, quickly work everything until the liquids are well absorbed.
Pour the dough onto a pastry board and knead further until a good soft but dry dough ball is formed.
Let the dough rest wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for about 20 – 30 minutes.Take the shortcrust pastry out of the fridge and roll it out on a floured pastry board, using the rolling pin, to a thickness of about 1/5 inch.
With a round cookie cutter, choose your preferred size, cut out shapes from the dough that should be in even numbers because two are needed for each cookie.
In half of the shapes, make a central hole, using a piping bag nozzle or a cap.
Arrange the cookie shapes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
Bake the cookies for about 12 – 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F), being careful not to let them brown too much.
The baking time also depends on the power of your oven; adjust by eye.
Once baked, take them out, let them cool on a wire rack and then sprinkle the holed shapes with powdered sugar.With a teaspoon, spread some jam or marmalade in the center of the whole cookies, alternating flavors, I used peach and hazelnut cream, place the shape with the hole on top and press gently to adhere well.
Proceed in the same way until all the bull’s eye cookies are filled.Place the cookies on a tray and serve, perfect also as a gift idea!
Storage and Tips
The cookies keep for several days in a cool place, stored under a cake dome or in a tin.
You can fill them with something else according to your taste.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use lactose-free shortcrust pastry?
Of course, for those who are lactose intolerant, you can substitute the butter with lactose-free butter or with seed or fruity olive oil, using 30g less oil than butter.
Or check these measures here: lactose-free cookies and olive oil shortcrust pastry.Can I decorate the cookies with melted chocolate?
For an even more delicious version, melt dark chocolate in a double boiler and dip half of the cookie in it, sprinkle with hazelnut or pistachio crumbs if you like.
