Classic Linzer Cookies
Servings: 36 filled cookies
Calories: 110kcal
Master these classic Linzer cookies with my time-tester recipe and foolproof tips for handling the sticky dough with ease!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (130g) powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour Note 1
- 2/3 cup (65g) almond flour Note 2
For filling and decoration:
- 1/2 cup jam Note 3
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
To make the cookie batter:
- In a large mixing bowl with paddle attachment, beat butter and powdered sugar starting on low speed and slowly increasing the speed to medium high until nice and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg yolk, lemon juice, almond extract and salt. Mix until well combined, about a minute.
- Stir in all-purpose flour and almond flour and mix on low speed until combined. (NOTE: The dough will be super soft and sticky, which is totally normal.)
- Lay out 2 large sheets of plastic wrap on a counter. Divide the batter into 2 equal parts and drop each batter ball on prepared plastic wraps. (TIP: this flexible dough scraper is super helpful!) Cover the batter with plastic and flatten it into a 1/2-inch thick disc. Then wrap well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.
To shape and bake the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Unwrap the chilled dough, dust the dough with a little bit of flour and place it between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out into 1/8-inch thick disc. (I find this rolling pin with the adjusteble thickness rings super helpful.) Refrigerate it and repeat with the other chilled dough.
- Remove the first rolled out dough from the fridge and cut out 2-inch round cookies as many as you can as quickly as you can. Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (TIP: If at any point the dough is too soft to handle, place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to firm up.) Gather the scraps, flatten it into a disc between parchment paper and refridgerate to firm up before rolling it out again.
- Repeat with the other dough, but this time, also cut out a small window in the center of each cookie. You can use a 1-inch round cookie cutter, or back of a piping tip. (I used this linzer cookie cutter set.) These will be your top cookies, be sure to make the same count of each top and bottom cookies.
- Refrigerate the cookies for at least 15 minutes before baking.
- Bake the chilled cookies one sheet at a time for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges start to turn a light golden color.
- Let the cookies rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
To assemble the cookies:
- Dust all the top cookies with powdered sugar.
- Drop about 1/2 teaspoon of filling on each bottom cookie and spread it all over, leaving slighly thicker filling in the middle, if desired. Place the top cookie. (TIP: Your top cookie may break if you don't spread the filling evenly. Be gentle as these cookies are delicate!)
- Store the filled cookies in an airtight container for 1 day. Linzer cookies are best when served the same day as they were filled.
Notes
Note 1: You can totally make it gluten-free!! I've tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour and turns out great!!
Note 2: For this recipe, you don't have to use super-fine version of almond flour, regular almond flour will work. In fact, you can use any nut flour you like, such as pistachio flour, hazelnut flour, etc.
Note 3: Feel free to use any kind of filling. Here're a few ideas: any jams and jellies, lemon curd, dulce de leche, Nutella.
Storing Tips:
In my opinion, these cookies taste the best when they're freshly filled. They're melt-in-your-mouth delicate and crisp. However, they're still delicious after a day or two, but the texture is a bit different. The cookies absorb the moisture from the filling and soften.
- Fill the cookies the day of serving foe the best texture.
- Store the filled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. If the cookies filled with curd, then refrigerate them.
- Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature, or frozen for a month.
In my opinion, these cookies taste the best when they're freshly filled. They're melt-in-your-mouth delicate and crisp. However, they're still delicious after a day or two, but the texture is a bit different. The cookies absorb the moisture from the filling and soften.
- Fill the cookies the day of serving foe the best texture.
- Store the filled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. If the cookies filled with curd, then refrigerate them.
- Unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature, or frozen for a month.
Nutrition
Servings: 1 filled cookie
Calories: 110kcal
Carbohydrates: 12g
Protein: 1g
Fat: 6g
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 35mg