Classic Linzer cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Vanilla and almond flavored shortbread cookie sandwiches are filled with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.
These are such a fun treat to make, because they are more unique than just your classic chocolate chip cookie recipe- although I do love that a lot as well! The subtle almond flavoring in this recipe that adds so much warmth. If you are in the mood to make some more delicious cookies for the holidays, these Italian Rainbow Cookies (Venetians) and Almond Crescent Cookies (Vanillekipferl) are a good choice to add to any get-together!
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What are Linzers? Why are they called that?
It's is a delicious lightly almond flavored sugar cookie or shortbread cookie with a hollow center filled with jam. These cookies are originally from a city in Austria called Linz. They are similar to a pastry called the Linzer Torte that has jam filling.
What is the filling of traditional linzer cookie?
The classic choice is jam, raspberry being most common.
However, you can also switch things up with different fillings, such as the following:
- Raspberry Pie Filling
- Strawberry Pie Filling
- Blueberry Pie Filling
- Cherry Pie Filling
- Blackberry Buttercream Frosting
- Easy Homemade Strawberry Jam
- Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
How to make linzer cookies recipe from scratch?
- Cream butter and sugar- Until light and fluffy.
- Mix in egg, vanilla extract, almond extract- Until combined.
- Make dry mixture - By whisking together all-purpose flour and almond flour.
- Combine dry mixture and wet mixture- Until just combined.
- Cover- And chill.
- Roll out cookie dough out- And cut circles- half of them solid and half hollowed out.
- Bake- Until golden brown.
- Cool cookies- Until room temperature.
- Dust powdered sugar- On top of hollow cookies.
- Assemble- Spread jam on the solid cookies and place hollowed cookies on top.
Variations for shortbread cookie sandwiches
Add zests- Like lemon, lime, or orange.
Add spices- Such as cinnamon and nutmeg for a warm, Fall touch.
Try other extracts- For new flavor, consider lemon extract, maple extract, or raspberry extract or even some rum.
Try unique fillings- Such as other flavors of jams and preserves, Whipped cream, Dulce De Leche, Crockpot Apple Butter, Lemon Curd.
Add chopped nuts in dough- Such as finely chopped walnuts, almonds, pecans, or even cashews.
Drizzle melted chocolate- On top of the cookies. White chocolate would be a great choice.
Dip in melted chocolate- Dip jam filled cookies halfway in melted white chocolate or semisweet chocolate.
Add shredded or desiccated coconut in dough- For a slightly chewy texture.
Tips and Techniques for raspberry linzer cookies
Don’t overfill cookies- Only a small amount of filling is needed so that the cookie is pleasing to the eye and doesn't run over the edge, or overpower the cookie flavor.
Don't over bake- These cookies should be watched carefully, because they should still be a bit soft and not overly browned or crispy.
Use thick jam or preserves- Because the cookies will set better with a thicker filling. Otherwise the jam will run over the edge and your cookies won't look pretty plus they will become a soggy mess!
Don’t assemble warm cookies- Otherwise the filling will be more runny and the cookies won't set right and you'll likely have a sticky mess.
How thick do you roll cookie dough? Roll it out to a ¼ inch thickness.
Use unsalted butter- To prevent dough from being too salty.
Chill dough- This is very important because it will be easier to handle and cut out shapes plus it won't be sticky.
Total number of cookies can vary- That's because it depends on size of cookie cutter used and thickness you rolled out the dough.
Baking time may vary- This is based on the shape of the cutter used, thickness of the dough, and the size of the cookie. Watch them closely so they don't burn!
You must use both almond flour and all-purpose flour- You can’t replace one with the other, because that will change the overall texture, taste, and baking time.
Almond meal vs. Almond flour- You must use almond flour because almond meal has a different texture and will make your cookies less desirable. Also, almond meal is made from raw, unpeeled almonds and is darker in color. Almond flour is made from blanched, peeled almonds and has a finer texture and lighter color.
How to fix soft dough? While you are rolling and cutting shapes, the dough can become soft and difficult to work with. Simply chill again in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to make it easier to handle.
Why is my cookie dough dry and crumbly? How to fix it?- You may have added too much flour or not enough liquid. In order to fix this, simply mix in a tiny bit of water or milk until the dough is the right consistency.
Allow the cookies to cool on tray- Because the residual heat allows them to cook further to perfection. Also, removing warm cookies from tray can cause them to break because they are fragile.
Storage
Should jam cookies be refrigerated? Yes, because fruit fillings like jams are perishable.
Refrigerate- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Freeze- Non-filled cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to 1 month. When you are ready to enjoy this treat, thaw cookies and assemble, as per instructions below.
Room temperature- This is not recommended since the fruit filling can go bad.
More classic old fashioned cookie recipes
- Best Shortbread Cookies (3 Ingredients)
- Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies (Cut out)
- Crackle Cookies (Crinkle Sugar Cookies)
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (With Cake Mix)
- Iced Oatmeal Cookies (With Vanilla Icing)
- Easy Butter Cookies (Piped Cookies)
- Chocolate Spritz Cookies
- Best Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Soft and Chewy)
- Oatmeal Lace Cookies (Crispy and Buttery)
- Jam Thumbprint Cookies (Soft and Buttery)
- Classic No Bake Cookies Recipe
Recipe
Easy Linzer Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- ⅔ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond extract
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Almond flour
- 1 cup Raspberry jam Preferably thick jam, Or strawberry jam
- 2 tablespoon Powdered sugar For dusting
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and and mix until combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour until combined.
- Add this dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just combined.
- Cover and chill dough in fridge for 1 hour.
- Transfer cookie dough to a floured surface and roll it to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes. Half of the shapes should be solid and half should be hollowed out like a window with a smaller cutter.
- Place these pieces on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown and firm along the edges. Keep a close eye so they don't over-bake.
- Remove tray from oven and allow the cookies to cool completely in the tray. The residual heat allows them to cook further to perfection.
- Place all the "hollowed out cookies" on a sheet of parchment paper and dust them with powdered sugar. Keep aside.
- Spread some thick jam on the solid cookies and gently place the powdered hollowed out cookies on top to make cookie sandwiches. Enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
ashok
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope they will like it.