This Easy Linzer Cookies recipe produces delicate, buttery shortbread cookies filled with jam and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar.
What country are Linzer Cookies from?
Linzer Cookies are from Austria. They are named after the Linzer Torte, which hails from the Austrian city of Linz. The Linzer Torte is a traditional Austrian pastry, consisting of shortbread topped with jam with a lattice design on top.
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Is Linzer Cookie dough supposed to be crumbly?
Yes, Linzer Cookie dough is supposed to be crumbly to achieve a delicate shortbread cookie. Add just enough moisture so that the dough clumps together. You do not want an overly wet dough.
What is a Linzer Cookie made of?
Linzer cookies are made with a few simple ingredients that you most likely have on hand already:
- all-purpose flour
- almond flour
- powdered sugar
- cornstarch
- salt
- vanilla extract
- butter
- egg
- jam or fruit preserves (for filling)
Do you have to refrigerate Linzer Cookies?
You must refrigerate Linzer Cookie dough before baking, but baked Linzer cookies do not need to be refrigerated. Chilling the dough is essential to making it easier to work with and preventing spreading in the oven when they bake.
How long do Linzer Cookies last?
Linzer Cookies last 2-3 days in an airtight container. However, they are best eaten fresh as they will lose their crisp after being stored. If you want to make them ahead of time, I recommend baking off the dough and waiting to fill them until just before serving.
Can you freeze Linzer Cookie dough?
Yes, Linzer Cookie dough can be frozen. I use this recipe as a base for tarts and always freeze the scraps to make cookies later. It will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months if wrapped tightly in plastic and placed in an airtight container.
In the mood for a tart instead? Try my Simple Fruit Tart, Kiwi Chia Tart, or Mini Heart Tarts.
Tips
These are most crisp the day of. They will soften as they sit in an airtight container.
To make ahead of time, you can bake off the cookies and wait to sandwich them with jam until you need them.
Do not skip chilling the dough or the punched out cookies. The dough and cookies will be much easier to work with after chilling and will spread less in the oven when baked from cold.
Lastly, if you make this Easy Linzer Cookies recipe be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a rating. I love to see when people make my recipes, so please tag me @youthsweets on Instagram if you post!
📖 Recipe
Easy Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
Linzer cookie dough
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
- ½ cup almond flour (60g)
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar (85g)
- 5 tablespoon cornstarch (50g)
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 tablespoon butter (130g) room temperature, cut in ¼ inch cubes
- 1 large egg beaten
Filling/garnish
- ½ cup raspberry jam or any other jam
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Make the dough
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a stand mixer before fitting it with the paddle attachment.
- Add butter and mix on low until a sandy texture forms. Dough should remain in a clump when grabbed.
- With the mixer running on low, add vanilla. Add half of the egg. If the dough comes together and looks like cookie dough it is ready. If it is still too dry, add the rest of the egg.
- Wrap in plastic and flatten into a disc. Refrigerate overnight or at least two hours.
Roll out the dough
- Roll out on a floured surface or between two sheets of plastic (I cut up plastic from random stuff like packing material or cereal bags and wash them) until ¼-inch thick.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pop the dough in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to peel away the plastic (if using) and punch out the circles. You can use any size cutter you like, but I used a 2-inch cutter and then the back of a small piping tip to punch out the hole that reveals the jam inside. Make half of the cookies a whole circle (the bottoms) and half a circle with the center punched out (the tops).
- I recommend punching out all of the tops of the cookies the first time you roll out the dough, and then punch out the bottom cookies when you reroll the scraps. Each time you reroll the dough, you are working the gluten more, which means the cookies will be less tender. So I prefer a more tender top of the cookie and then a less tender bottom cookie that is sturdier for holding the jam.
- Place the cookies on a sheet tray lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place in the freezer for at least 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake for 6-7 minutes. Do not overbake or let the cookies take on too much color. They should be very light in color.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack.
Assemble the cookies
- Pipe jam on the undersides of the whole cookies. Place the cookies with the hole punched out on top. Dust with powdered sugar.
