Ischl Tarts Are the Buttery, Jam-Filled Cookies You’ll Make Every Holiday Season

For spice dough, in a small saucepan, cook 1/2 cup butter over medium until light brown, about 12 minutes. Pour into a medium bowl; chill just until firm, about 45 minutes. Beat chilled browned butter with a mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Beat in 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar, one of the egg yolks, 1 tsp. of the vanilla, 1/8 tsp. of the salt, the cinnamon, and cloves until fluffy, scraping bowl as needed. Beat in 1 cup of the flour.

For plain dough, in another medium bowl, beat the 1/2 cup softened butter with a mixer on medium 30 seconds. Beat in the remaining ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1/8 tsp. salt until fluffy, scraping bowl as needed. Beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour. Cover and chill both doughs until easy to handle, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the spice dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Use 21/2- to 3-inch fluted cookie cutters to cut out shapes, rerolling scraps as needed. Repeat with plain dough to make matching shapes. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out desired shape(s) in plain dough cutouts (you’ll like, reroll center cutouts).

Place all cutout cookies 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake until edges are light brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.

Spread preserves on the bottoms of spice cookies. Top with plain cookies, bottom sides down. If you like, sift lightly with additional powdered sugar.