Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Soak the chopped dried cherries in the Limoncello or Grand Marnier for one hour. After one hour, drain and mix with the cherry jam.

Beat the room temperature butter and sugar with electric mixer until creamy (about 4-5 minutes). Add the vanilla extract and beat briefly to combine.  Add the two eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

While butter and sugar are beating, combine the flour, nuts, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and lemon zest in a bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well to combine. Place the dough on a work area and form into a flat disk. Wrap loosely with plastic wrap. Place the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Cut the dough in half. Place half the dough on a lightly floured parchment paper and roll to 1/8- inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining dough. Chill for 20 minutes on parchment.

Using a decorative round or heart-shaped cookie cut out 72 cookies. Using a smaller cookie cutter, cut out a piece of cookie from the inside of half (36) of the cookies. NOTE: Special Linzer cookie cutters are available that include a round cutter plus a round cutter with the invert center.

Bake cookies for 8 -12 minutes or until light golden. Sift confection sugar over top pieces of cookies. Spread 1 tsp. jam on the bottom of each cookie and top with the sugar-coated top cookie. Store at room temperature. Cookies are good for one week.

Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies

From Chef Janice Thomas, Savory Spoon Cooking School