Linzer Cookies
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Buttery, nutty, and filled with jewel-toned jam, Linzer cookies are as delicious as they are beautiful—a festive treat that’s perfect for the holidays or any special occasion!
Linzer cookies are buttery, jam-filled sandwich cookies based on the classic Viennese Linzer torte. The cookies have a shortbread-like texture and nutty flavor that comes from finely ground almonds and almond extract in the dough. They are typically filled with raspberry or apricot jam and finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. But what makes these cookies truly special is the cut-out on top, which creates a glistening stained-glass-window effect.
To make the prettiest Linzer cookies, a fluted-edge cookie cutter is ideal, though any shape will work. For the cut-out, hearts are classic (and perfect for Valentine’s Day), but circles, flowers, stars, and snowflakes are all beautiful options! You can even use tiny cookie cutters to create several cut-outs in each cookie.
“Very pretty and very yummy!”
What You’ll Need To Make Linzer Cookies
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the dough while creating a smooth, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Confectioners’ sugar is also dusted on top of the cookies for a pretty finish.
- Slivered Almonds: Ground into the dough, these add a nutty flavor and a slightly crumbly texture that’s characteristic of Linzer cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cookies, helping them hold their shape when rolled and cut. To ensure accuracy, measure the flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the almonds.
- Butter: Adds richness and a tender, flaky texture to the dough, ideal for a delicate cookie. Keep the butter in the fridge right up until when you need it. Cold butter keeps the dough from becoming overly soft, helping the cookies retain a crisp, flaky texture.
- Large Egg Yolks: Bind the dough while enriching its flavor, giving the cookies a tender, crumbly consistency.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a hint of warmth and depth that complements the almonds and jam.
- Almond Extract: Enhances the almond flavor, adding a unique and slightly sweet aroma to the dough.
- Raspberry or Apricot Jam: Brings fruity sweetness and a vibrant color to the cookies, creating a classic Linzer filling.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sugar and slivered almonds.
Process until the almonds are finely ground and the mixture is powdery, about 1 minute.
Add the flour, salt, and butter.
Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about twenty 1-second pulses, then add the egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract.
Process until dough forms a crumbly, clumpy mass, 20 to 25 seconds. 
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface.
Knead the dough into a smooth ball, then divide in half and form two disks, wrap each disk tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 days.
Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator and knead with your hands until just soft and malleable enough to roll.
Liberally dust a clean work surface with flour, and roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 2.5-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles. After creating the circles, use a 1-inch round (or any-shaped) cookie cutter to cut out the centers from half of the circles (these will be the top halves of the cookies).
Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 8 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If using the second disc of dough immediately, remove from the refrigerator and repeat the process.
Lightly sift confectioners’ sugar over the cookie tops, and spread about 1 teaspoon jam on each of the bottom halves, leaving about 1/4-inch border.
The cookies will last nicely, stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for longer storage.
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Linzer Cookies
Buttery, nutty, and filled with jewel-toned jam, Linzer cookies are as delicious as they are beautiful—a festive treat that’s perfect for the holidays or any special occasion!
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups Confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 14 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- About 1 cup raspberry or apricot jam
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, process the sugar and almonds until the almonds are finely ground and the mixture is powdery, about 1 minute. Add the flour, salt, and butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, about twenty 1-second pulses. Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract and process until dough forms a crumbly, clumpy mass, 20 to 25 seconds. Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead it into a smooth ball. Divide the dough in half and form two disks, wrap each disk tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 days.
- Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator and knead with your hands until just soft and malleable enough to roll. (The longer the dough is refrigerated, the more you will have to knead it; just be careful not to overwork it – it should still feel cool.) Liberally dust a clean work surface with flour, and roll out the dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Using a 2.5-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles. After creating the circles, use a 1-inch round, heart, or any-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the centers from half of the circles (these will be the top halves of the cookies).
- Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
- Gather up the scraps, knead into a flat disc, roll, and repeat (if too warm, pop back in the fridge for a bit).
- Bake until the edges are lightly browned, about 8 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. If using the second disc of dough immediately, remove from the refrigerator and repeat the process.
- Lightly sift confectioners' sugar over the cookie tops. Spread about 1 teaspoon jam on each of the bottom halves, leaving about ¼-inch border, and sandwich both halves together. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The dough can be wrapped in plastic wrap and a layer of foil and frozen for up to three months. When ready to bake, remove the dough from the freezer, thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature until pliable, and then proceed with the recipe. The assembled cookies can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (30 servings)
- Serving size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 154
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated fat: 4 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Sugar: 11 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 44 mg
- Cholesterol: 27 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Just checking as this recipe says confectioners sugar in the dough. Is that correct? It looks like it is based on the picture but I’ve never used confectioners (icing) sugar in the dough.
This is my fourth attempt at this cookie using various recipes and I’ve yet to have a dough that worked.
Yes, that’s correct, Lisa — it makes the cookies more tender. Hope this recipe works for you!
Love this recipe. The dough is easy to work with and it’s yummy too. I did not have almond extract so I used Amaretto instead.
These cookies are impressive and absolutely delicious. We enjoyed them the 2nd day the most, as the jam softened the cookie. We followed the recipe exactly as written.
Thanks, Jenn.
These cookies are impressive and delicious. Thanks, Jenn.
Hello Jen…I’m considering baking these cookies, but before I do, I’m wondering about the number of cookies this recipe yields. Does it make 30 complete cookies or 15 tops and 15 bottoms for a total of only 15 complete cookies? Thank you!
Hi Astrid, This makes 30 complete cookies. Hope you enjoy if you make them!
Hello, I have had issues with the cookies holding their shape and browning too quickly. I have double checked oven temp, made sure cookies were cold going into the oven, and doubled check the recipe. Not sure what I am doing incorrectly.
However, they do taste very good. I have had a lot of nice comments about flavor.
Thanks!
I loved these cookies and the recipe was really easy to follow. I served them for a dinner party and a number of the guests asked for the recipe. I will be making them again for Christmas. Thanks Jenn!!!
can you sandwich the jam in first then bake?
Hi George I wouldn’t recommend it — the jam will ooze out as it heats up.
Gosh this is the first Jen recipe that did not turn out for me :(. I’m thinking it must be something I did wrong since there are so many good reviews. First batch came out on the burnt side & I did turn them halfway through. Next batch I took out sooner but then they seemed underdone. I let them cool & tasted them but they just did not have the traditional linzer tart flavor I was hoping for. I trashed them because I was frustrated, all Jen’s other recipes have been great though. Maybe I’m just not a baker!
These cookies are simply delicious and easy to make. Another Jenn special! I used heart shaped cutters from Amazon to make them special for a Valentine treat for my grandson. I also used almond flour instead of the ground almonds and the texture was light and seemed to just melt in your mouth.