Linzer Cookies
These buttery, jam-filled Linzer Cookies are the perfect sweet snacks to make this holiday season. A bunch of these easy-to-make raspberry-packed sandwich cookies adorably dusted with snowy confectioners' sugar will surely bring on a cherry, festive vibe!
Servings: 12 pieces
Calories: 238kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw whole almonds
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup raspberry jam We used Bon Maman preserves! It’s thick enough to hold together well in the cookie and the fresh raspberry pieces in the jam look festive!
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the raw nuts (blanched or unblanched) on a baking sheet. Toast them on the middle rack until lightly browned (it will take 5 to 10 minutes). Once they have cooled completely, pulse them in a food processor. Once this mixture is finely ground, pulse in the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set this aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it is creamy. Then beat in the sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the egg. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is mixed well. Beat in vanilla.
- Mix the dry ingredients (flour mixture) into the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just mixed. Do not over-mix.
- Form the dough into 2 disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator. Allow this to chill for at least 2 hours.
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove one disk at a time from the fridge. Place it on a well-floured surface. Allow it to sit for 1 or 2 minutes before rolling. Roll it out to about ¼ inch thick. You will need to be generous with the flour.
- Use a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter to cut out as many cookies from this dough as you are able to. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out a shape from the middle of half of the cookies. (like a little window) Roll scraps into a disk, wrap, and allow to chill. Then you can roll this out again to make more cookies.
- Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12- 15 minutes. They should be just starting to turn golden on the edges.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Then remove them to a wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread a heaping ½ teaspoon of jam onto the bottom side cookies. Dust the top cookies (with the cut out) with powdered sugar. (Make sure to dust the top cookies with powdered sugar before placing them on the jam cookies otherwise the jam center will not show as well.) Place the cookie with the cut-out on top of the jam cookie.
Notes
Storage Instructions:
The dough can be made up to 5 days ahead and kept in the fridge. Once baked, place the cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for 2-3 days. Or you may freeze them for up to 1 month (just make sure the jam is fully set before wrapping them).Frequently Asked Questions
- Are there fillings other than raspberry jam that go well in these cookies? Yes! You could use different flavors of jam (apricot is especially nice). Or you could use lemon curd or a chocolate spread.
- I am finding that the dough really cracks when I roll it out - am I doing something wrong? Make sure to let it sit for a minute or 2 out of the fridge. Then, if it cracks, you can patch the cracks with scraps of dough.
- I find that my jam is really runny - how could I thicken it up? While the dough is chilling, place ¾ cup raspberry jam in a small saucepan. Allow this to simmer until it has thickened and reduced to about ½ cup. Remove this from the heat and allow it to cool completely before using it to fill the cookies.
- I'm rolling out the dough, but now it seems sticky - what can I do? Put the dough into the fridge and allow it to chill again. It is easier to work with when it is well chilled. If you still find that it is sticky, use more flour on the rolling surface and rolling pin. I like to sprinkle the top of the dough with flour as well.
- Do I have to toast the almonds before putting them in the food processor? No, but it does add an extra depth of flavor
Nutrition
Calories: 238kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 259IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg