Linzer Cookies
These buttery shortbread cookies are traditionally filled with raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar though they can be filled with your favorite jam of choice.
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I particularly like filling them with my homemade raspberry habanero jam from my book Share + Savor (page 15)! Linzer cookies are a Christmas classic and with a pretty cutout to show off the jam center they’re also a stunning treat. The cookies are rolled extremely thin (thinner than your typical sugar cookie) so that they aren’t too thick when stacked.
Linzer Cookies
Table of contents
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
- Almond extract – Extract is made from a combination of water, alcohol and bitter almond oil. It adds a strong almond flavor to these cookies.
- Raspberry jam – Raspberry jam is a classic pairing with these linzer shortbread cookies.
How to Make Linzer Cookies
- Beat the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the almond extract and mix once again.
- Add the flour. Slowly add the flour and salt to the mixer, beating on low speed until it has all been incorporated.
- Chill the dough. Turn dough out of the bowl and divide it in half. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Heat oven. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Roll out the dough. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften for 5 minutes, so that it is workable and won’t crack. On a lightly floured surface unwrap one of the discs and roll it out ⅛-inch thick.
- Cut the cookies. Using a 2½-inch cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a baking sheet. Scrape together any remaining dough and re-roll out, chilling again if it gets too soft. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while you roll out the remaining dough.
- Cut the center of the cookies. Repeat with the remaining half of the dough, rolling out and cutting out rounds. Use your smallest cookie cutter in a desired shape to cut out a peekaboo cutout in the center of each cookie.
- Bake. Bake the cookies until the edges just begin to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly then move to a cooling rack.
- Assemble and serve. Place the cookies with the cutout holes on a cookie sheet and sift the confectioners sugar over the top. Spread the remaining cookies flat side up and spread ½ teaspoon of jam over the cookie. Top with the sugar-dusted cookies.
Other Linzer Filling Recipe Ideas
- Raspberry habanero jam (Share + Savor, page 15)
- Lemon curd
- Mixed berry jam
- Chocolate Hazelnut (Nutella)
Linzer Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup raspberry jam or other jam of choice
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
Instructions:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the almond extract and mix once again.
- Slowly add the flour and salt to the mixer, beating on low speed until it has all been incorporated.
- Turn dough out of the bowl and divide it in half. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften for 5 minutes, so that it is workable and won’t crack. On a lightly floured surface unwrap one of the discs and roll it out ⅛-inch thick.
- Using a 2½-inch cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a baking sheet. Scrape together any remaining dough and re-roll out, chilling again if it gets too soft. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 15 minutes while you roll out the remaining dough.
- Repeat with the remaining half of the dough, rolling out and cutting out rounds. Use your smallest cookie cutter in a desired shape to cut out a peekaboo cutout in the center of each cookie.
- Bake the cookies until the edges just begin to brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly then move to a cooling rack.
- Place the cookies with the cutout holes on a cookie sheet and sift the confectioners sugar over the top. Spread the remaining cookies flat side up and spread ½ teaspoon of jam over the cookie. Top with the sugar-dusted cookies.
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This recipe was great! I had my doubts because there wasn’t an egg, and I thought the dough initially was too dry and hard to work with after refrigeration. I ended up leaving it out to soften for a while longer than the recipe called for, and they turned out perfectly – best linzer cookie recipe I have tried! Thanks, Kylie!