Linzer Cookies with Raspberry Jam
These festive Linzer cookies are great for any special occasion of holiday, such as Christmas or Valentine’s Day! These toasty cookies feature cinnamon and toasted almond meal in the dough, making them the perfect amount of sweet, warm, and nutty! These Linzer cookies are cut out, baked, dusted with sugar, and sandwiched together with a fruity raspberry jam! The final cookies are crisp, yet also delicately soft, as well as warm and toasty while also being quite fruity from the raspberry jam!
What is a Linzer Cookie?
Linzer cookies derive from an Austrian dessert known as Linzertorte! Linzertorte is made from a buttery dough, pressed into tart form, filled with jam, and then topped with a lattice crust! Linzer cookies are basically mini-versions of the Linzertortes – small buttery cookies that are topped with jam, then topped with another cookie that has a small cut-out!
Toasting the Almond Flour
The first step to making these Linzer Cookies is toasting the almond flour! The toasted almond flour adds a whole new flavor dimension to the cookies – adding a deep, warm toastiness that pairs wonderfully with the cinnamon and raspberry jam! If you don’t have time to toast your almond flour or just wish not to, that’s completely fine – however, I definitely recommend it!
To toast the almond flour, simply spread it into an even layer on a baking sheet and place it into the oven. Every 5 or so minutes, remove it from the oven and mix it around – this just promotes even toasting and browning. Once most of the almond flour looks golden in colour, remove it from the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes! Easy-peasy!
How to make the Linzer Cookie Dough
1.Beat sugar, butter, and cinnamon: Add the sugar, butter, and cinnamon to a stand mixer, then beat the mixture until it looks light and fluffy – about 3-5 minutes.
2. Add egg yolk and vanilla: Throw in the egg yolk and vanilla, then beat again until combined.
3. Add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, toasted almond meal, and salt, then add this dry mixture into the stand mixer, and beat again until a crumbly dough comes together.
Rolling Out The Linzer Cookies
Here’s the thing with these cookies – to make these cookies as tender as they are, the dough is extremely soft, and frankly can be hard to work with if you don’t take the proper precautions. The biggest tip I can give you for rolling and cutting these Linzer Cookies out is to do it on a heavily floured surface. Yes, I’m talking quite floured – definitely more flour than you need with your typical rolled out sugar cookies! As well, your cookie cutter should also be well-floured, or else you risk the dough sticking to it! Finally, I found the best way to transfer these cookies onto the baking sheet is with a thin flat spatula – using a spatula to lift and transfer reduces any warping or distortion of the Linzer Cookies!
The Centre Cut-Out
The top halves of these Linzer Cookies have the centres cut out, allowing the jam to peak through. The cut-out can be many different shapes and can be achieved with several tools! I did hearts for Valentine’s Day and I used these heart cut outs from Wilton. However, you can also use any other mini cookie cutter or fondant punch for different shapes, as well as the end of round piping tips for a round cut-out!
A Quick Freeze
As with most cookies, especially rolled-out cookies, the cut-out raw Linzer Cookies need to be placed in the freezer for a short period of time! This quick 15-minute freeze before baking allows the butter to slightly re-solidify, thereby preventing the cookie from spreading out! This means that you’ll be left with beautifully crisp edges to your Linzer Cookies!
Finishing & Filling the Linzer Cookies
After the Linzer cookies have been baked and cooled, the top halves (the ones with the center cut-out) get a light dusting with confectioners sugar, while the bottoms get a spoonful of raspberry jam spread on them. Then, these two halves are sandwiched together! The Linzer Cookies can be eaten immediately and will have a more crisp texture, or if left overnight, the jam will slightly soften the cookie, creating a softer cookie sandwich (my personal favourite!).
Get the Recipe: Linzer Cookies with Raspberry Jam
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (72g) Almond Flour
- 1 1/3 cup (160g) All Purpose Flour,, measured correctly †
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter,, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup White Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/4 cup Raspberry Jam
- Confectioners Sugar,, for dusting
Equipment
- Stand mixer
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment. Evenly spread almond flour onto a baking sheet, then place into the oven to toast. Bake for about 15 minutes, ensuring that you stir the mixture every 5 minutes to promote even toasting. Remove the toasted almond flour from the oven and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled almond flour, all purpose flour, and salt. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter, sugar, and cinnamon, until light and fluffy – about 3-5 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla, then beat again until well-combined. Add flour mixture to the stand mixer and beat until just combined and a crumbly looking dough has formed.
- Remove dough from stand mixer and lightly form into a disk shape with your hands. Place dough-disk onto a heavily floured surface, and roll the dough out to about ¼” thick. Using a 2 ½” scalloped edge cookie cutter (flower shape cookie cutter), cut out cookies. Carefully place the cookies onto the baking sheet (I find it’s easiest to use a metal spatula to lift them off the counter)
- Using a mini cookie cutter (such as the heart ones mentioned above), cut out the centre of 1/2 of the cookies. Place the baking sheets into the freezer for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, place the cookies into the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before filling.
- When cooled, dust the cookies with the cut-out centers with confectioners sugar, and spread 1 tsp of jam onto the remaining cookies. Sandwich the two halves together.
Notes
Source: Adapted from King Arthur Flour
