Description
Linzer cookies are elegant, buttery sandwich cookies filled with sweet raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Featuring a tender, nutty dough infused with almond flour and a hint of cinnamon, these cookies are a festive favorite perfect for holiday trays or special occasions. They combine a delicate crispness with a delightfully soft interior, showcasing charming cutout windows on the top cookie revealing the vibrant jam beneath.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar (firmly packed)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup almond flour (see note for nut-free option)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
Filling and Topping
- ⅓ cup raspberry jam
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the butter mixture: Combine the softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon (if using) in a bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the mixture on medium speed until it becomes light and fluffy, about 30 to 60 seconds. Stir in the vanilla extract until well combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cornstarch, and salt to ensure an even distribution of the dry ingredients.
- Combine dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Stir gently until the dough just comes together; avoid over-mixing to maintain a tender texture, but ensure the dough is fully incorporated.
- Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up the dough, which makes it easier to roll out.
- Preheat oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut cookies: Work with one chilled dough disc at a time on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness. Use a 2 ½-inch scalloped edge cookie cutter to cut out circles. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
- Create cutouts for top cookies: For half of the cookies, use a smaller cookie cutter—such as a small heart, star, or the end of a piping tip—to cut a design in the center, creating windows. Place these cookies on a separate baking sheet from the solid cookies to ensure even baking. Re-roll the trimmings to make more cookies as desired.
- Bake cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges become lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Assemble sandwiched cookies: Once the cookies are fully cooled, dust the windowed cookie tops with powdered sugar if desired. Spread a heaping teaspoon of raspberry jam onto the bottom cookies without cutouts, then sandwich them with the jam-windowed tops.
Notes
- Linzer cookies are traditionally made with almond flour, but you can substitute with oat flour or a gluten-free flour blend for a nut-free version.
- Make sure the dough is well chilled to prevent spreading and maintain the cutout shapes during baking.
- Using parchment paper on baking sheets prevents sticking and helps promote even baking.
- The cookie dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to a month before baking.
- For visual variety, try different shaped cutouts such as stars or circles to suit different occasions.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 159 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
