Description
These Linzer Cookies offer a delightful combination of buttery almond shortbread and sweet jam or curd filling. Despite their elegant appearance, they are straightforward to make with a foolproof recipe ideal for a festive holiday treat or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 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 Assembly
- Powdered Sugar to dust
- Jam or Curd of your choice for filling
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a medium bowl, place the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whip on high speed with an electric hand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Mix in the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and kosher salt until just combined to form the dough.
- Shape and Roll Dough: Transfer the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper, forming it into a rectangle if needed. Top with a second parchment piece and roll to approximately 6mm (0.25 inch) thickness.
- Chill Dough: Move the dough sandwiched between parchment papers onto a sheet pan. Refrigerate for at least two hours to firm up, or up to three days for convenience.
- Preheat Oven and Freeze Dough: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Freeze the dough, still between parchment paper, for 10 minutes to firm before cutting.
- Cut Cookies: Remove the top parchment, and use a 2-inch (5cm) fluted cutter to cut out cookie circles. Place cutouts onto baking sheets. Re-roll scraps and freeze again to cut more cookies.
- Create Window Cutouts: Using a small shaped cutter, cut shapes from the center of half of the cookies for the top halves. Freeze these cut-out cookies for 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake one tray at a time for 11-12 minutes until set and lightly golden at the edges. Adjust baking time if cookies are rolled thicker or thinner.
- Cool Cookies: Let the baked cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before handling. Repeat baking with the second tray.
- Assemble Cookies: Dust the top cookies (with cut-outs) with powdered sugar. Spread jam or curd on the bottom cookie halves, leaving a small edge. Sandwich the two halves together gently with the decorated side facing out.
- Store the Cookies: Keep assembled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and consume within a few days, or store cookies and filling separately and assemble as needed.
Notes
- Use almond flour for a tender, nutty flavor and texture true to traditional Linzer cookies.
- Chilling the dough thoroughly helps maintain the cookie shape during baking.
- Choose your favorite jam or curd fillings such as raspberry, apricot, or lemon for variety.
- For extra crispness, bake the cookies one tray at a time to ensure even heat.
- Handle the cookies gently to avoid breaking, especially when sandwiching with filling.
- These cookies freeze well; freeze cut dough and baked cookies separately if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
