Description
These Easier than they look Linzer Cookies feature a buttery almond shortbread filled with your choice of jam or curd. This foolproof recipe is simple to make and perfect for holiday baking, yielding beautifully delicate sandwich cookies that impress without the fuss.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 180g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 65g powdered sugar (icing sugar), sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 225g all-purpose flour
- 90g almond flour / almond meal
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
For Assembling
- Powdered Sugar to dust
- Jam or Curd of your choice for filling
Instructions
- Prepare the Butter Mixture: Place the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whip on high speed with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for this step.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and kosher salt to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough.
- Form and Roll out Dough: Turn the dough out onto a large piece of parchment paper. Use the parchment to shape it into a rectangle if needed. Top with a second piece of parchment paper and roll out the dough to about 6mm (0.25 inches) thickness.
- Chill the Dough: Transfer the dough, still between the two parchment sheets, to a sheet pan. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours to firm up the dough. You can chill it up to three days ahead if desired.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dough: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer the chilled dough, still between parchment paper, to the freezer for 10 minutes to further firm it up.
- Cut Out Cookies: Remove the top parchment layer. Using a 2-inch (5cm) fluted round cutter, cut out as many circles as possible and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Gather scraps, re-roll, and freeze again before cutting out more cookies.
- Create Cookie Tops: From half of the cookies, use a small shaped cutter to cut out shapes in the center to create the classic Linzer cookie look.
- Freeze Before Baking: Freeze the cut-out cookies for 10 minutes (or longer if making ahead). Arrange cookies on the pan as needed during freezing before spacing them evenly for baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake one tray at a time for 11-12 minutes, until the cookies are set and lightly golden around the edges. Adjust time if cookies are rolled thicker or thinner.
- Cool Cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining tray.
- Assemble the Cookies: Dust the 'top' cookies (with cut-outs) with powdered sugar. Spread jam or curd on the bottom halves, leaving a small border for filling expansion. Place the tops carefully on the jam-covered halves to form sandwiches.
- Store Properly: Store assembled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. For best freshness, consume within a few days. Alternatively, store filling and cookies separately and assemble before serving.
Notes
- These Linzer cookies are easier to make than they appear and make for a beautiful holiday treat.
- You can use any jam or curd for the filling depending on your taste preference.
- Chilling the dough thoroughly helps prevent spreading and keeps the cookie shape.
- Freeze dough scraps for easier handling and consistent cookie shapes on re-roll.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for best texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
