Description
These easier-than-they-look Linzer Cookies are a foolproof recipe featuring buttery almond shortbread filled with your favorite jam or curd. Perfectly delicate and charming with a dusting of powdered sugar, these cookies make an impressive holiday treat that's simple to prepare and fun to assemble.
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 butter mixture: Place the unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whip on high speed with an electric hand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step can also be performed using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and kosher salt to the butter mixture. Mix just until the ingredients are combined and form a cohesive dough.
- Shape and roll the dough: Turn the dough out onto a large piece of parchment paper. Use the parchment to bring the dough together into a rectangle shape 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 rolled dough, still between the two parchment sheets, to a sheet pan. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 3 days to allow the dough to firm up.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Freeze the dough in the parchment sheets for 10 minutes to firm up before cutting.
- Cut out cookies: Remove the top parchment sheet. Using a 2-inch (5 cm) fluted round cutter, cut out as many circles as possible and transfer them to the lined baking sheets. Press the scraps together, re-roll, freeze, and cut more cookies.
- Create cut-out tops: Using a smaller shaped cutter of your choice, cut shapes from the center of half of the cookies to create the cookie tops with windows.
- Freeze before baking: Freeze the cut-out cookies for 10 minutes before baking. If freezing longer, group cookies closer on the tray and space them out before baking.
- Bake the cookies: Bake one tray at a time for 11-12 minutes or until the cookies are set and lightly golden around the edges. Adjust baking time if cookies are rolled thicker or thinner.
- Cool the cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining tray.
- Assemble the cookies: Dust the 'top' cookies with powdered sugar. Spread your chosen jam or curd on the bottom halves, leaving a small border near the edges. Place the top cookies carefully on the filled bottoms and press gently to sandwich them together, showing the 'good' side outward.
- Store properly: Store Linzer cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They are best enjoyed within a few days but you can store cookies and fillings separately and assemble when needed.
Notes
- These Linzer Cookies look elegant but are surprisingly easy to make, perfect for holiday baking.
- You can use any jam or curd as filling, such as raspberry, apricot, lemon curd, or strawberry.
- Ensure the dough is well chilled before cutting to prevent spreading during baking.
- Re-roll scraps only once to keep cookies tender.
- Use parchment paper to roll out and handle the dough easily without sticking.
- Dusting the tops with powdered sugar enhances the traditional look and adds a touch of sweetness.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crispness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 55 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
