Name: Linzer Cookies Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Austrian
Ingredients: 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 to make these nut free); 1 tablespoon cornstarch; ½ teaspoon salt; ⅓ cup raspberry jam; Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Ingredients

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 to make nut free)

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup raspberry jam

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and cinnamon (if using). Beat with an electric mixer for 30 to 60 seconds until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, almond flour, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the butter mixture, stirring just until fully combined. Be careful not to over-mix to keep the dough tender.

Step 3: Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape each into a disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Step 4: Work with one chilled disc at a time on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough to about ⅛ inch thickness. Use a 2½ inch round cookie cutter, preferably scalloped, to cut out circles. Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. On half of the cookies, use a smaller cutter like a heart or star to cut shapes out of the center. If you don’t have a small cutter, the larger end of a piping tip works well.

Step 5: Bake the cookies with cutouts and those without on separate trays to ensure even baking. You can reroll the small cutout shapes with the dough scraps for additional cookies.

Step 6: Bake in the preheated oven for 9 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before filling.

Step 7: Once cooled, dust the top cookies (with the cutouts) generously with powdered sugar. Spoon about a heaping teaspoon of raspberry jam onto the bottom cookies without cutouts. Gently sandwich each jam-filled cookie with a dusted cookie on top.

Storage

Store Linzer cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, keep them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Allow refrigerated cookies to come to room temperature before serving. These cookies also freeze well—freeze the unfilled cookies and jam separately, then assemble after thawing.

FAQs

Can I make Linzer cookies without nuts?

Yes, simply replace almond flour with additional all purpose flour or oat flour to keep the dough nut-free while maintaining a similar texture.

How do I prevent the cookies from sticking to the rolling surface?

Lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin. You can also roll between two sheets of parchment paper to keep the dough from sticking and make transferring the cookies easier.