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+ servings
Stack of buttery sandwich cookies filled with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar.

Linzer Cookies Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 24 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 9 minutes
Classic Linzer Cookies — delicate, buttery sandwich cookies made with almond flour and filled with raspberry or apricot jam, dusted lightly with powdered sugar for a festive finish.
18 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups 270g all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups 120g almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup 227g unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup 150g granulated sugar
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup 170g raspberry or apricot jam
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions
 

Combine the dry ingredients:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, ground cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.

Prepare the butter mixture:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium-high speed for approximately 2 minutes, or until the mixture appears pale and fluffy.

Form the dough:

  1. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until a soft dough forms and no streaks of dry flour remain. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the dough tough and cause shrinkage during baking.

Divide and chill the dough:

  1. Separate the dough into two equal portions and shape each into a disk approximately one inch thick. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days, until firm.

Preheat the oven and prepare baking sheets:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Prepare two additional sheets of parchment paper for rolling out the dough.

Roll out the dough:

  1. Remove one disk from the refrigerator and allow it to soften slightly for about 5 minutes. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it to a thickness of 1/8 inch, working from the center outward and rotating as needed to maintain an even surface.

Cut out the cookies:

  1. Carefully peel back the top parchment sheet. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart. If necessary, use an offset spatula to lift the dough cleanly. Re-roll the remaining dough scraps once or twice to create additional cookies. Chill the cutouts in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking.

Prepare the top cookies:

  1. Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the second disk of dough. For the top cookies, use a 1-inch round or decorative cutter to remove a center portion from each cookie. Chill these as well for 20 minutes before baking.

Bake the cookies:

  1. Bake in batches, two trays at a time, rotating halfway through baking. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown and the centers appear set. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Assemble the cookies:

  1. Once cooled, turn over the bottom cookies and spread each with about 1 teaspoon of jam, leaving a small border around the edges. Place the cutout cookies on top and press lightly to adhere. Dust the tops generously with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

To prepare gluten-free Linzer Cookies, substitute the all-purpose flour with a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour that includes xanthan gum. Ensure that the almond flour and other ingredients are certified gluten-free. The texture may be slightly more delicate, so handle the dough carefully during rolling and transferring. The result remains tender, buttery, and just as delightful.
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