Slightly nutty with a rich, tender crumb, these jam filled Linzer Cookies are the perfect addition to your holiday baking line-up.
I love Linzer Cookies. I think you all know by now that I have a bit of a thing for jam so a cookie filled with the stuff is definitely right up my alley. Every Valentines day growing up my dad would get my sister and I these big heart shaped Linzer Cookies from La Madaline's and they were just the best. Slightly nutty, with a rich tender crumb and filled with the most delicious raspberry jam. We certainly felt the love. I've since incorporated my own version into my Christmas cookie rotation and they are beloved by all who receive them.
If you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth or Oklahoma City areas I of course recommend using Preserve International jams (linked below), which I actually make here in my home kitchen, and 100% of the proceeds of which go back towards programs empowering women small-scale farmers to fight hunger through innovative food preservation. But if you're not in those areas just be sure to use a high quality jam as using a good jam really does make a difference in these cookies.
Linzer Cookies
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Linzer cookie cutters, or a 3-4 inch round cookie cutter with a small cookie cutter to make a hole in the middle
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ⅔rd cup almond flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔rd cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp lemon zest about 1 medium lemon
- 1 egg, room temperature if you forget to leave the egg out to get to room temperature I recommend simply submerging it in a cup of warm water for about 5 minutes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- extra flour, for dusting
- powdered sugar, for dusting
- 12-20 tsp jam, about ½-3/4th tsp per cookie depending on preference If you are in the DFW or OKC areas I highly recommend Preserve International jams. So delicious and supports such a great cause.
Instructions
- Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon and ginger in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in almond flour and stir with a spoon until well combined. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, around 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low, add in egg, lemon juice and vanilla and almond extract. Turn speed to medium-high and beat for around 2 minutes until well combined.
- Add in half of the flour mixture and beat on low until just combined. Add in the remaining flour mixture and beat on low until combined.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal sections and form each section into a disk. Wrap each disk in cling film and place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
- After at least 1 hour, remove the first disk from the fridge. Generously flour your work space and rolling pin and roll the dough out to approximately ⅛th inch thickness. Use your round, larger cookie cutter to cut out as many cookies as possible. Then use your smaller cookie cutter to cut a hole or shape out of the middle of every other cookie.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place your cut out cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the cookie sheet in the fridge for around 10-15 minutes to firm up before baking to prevent spreading.
- Bake the cookies at 350 degrees F for 9-11 minutes until very lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire wrack to cool.
- Repeat the process with the 2nd disk of dough until all dough is used up.
- Once the cookies are cool, gently sprinkle powdered sugar on the cookies with the middles cut out.
- Then place ½-3/4th tsp jam in the middle of the whole cookies, using a spoon to spread.
- Place the powdered sugared cookies on top of the cookies with the jam, gently sandwiching them together. *Note* Because the cookies are thin you'll want to do this very gently, pressing along the center rather than the edges so they don't crack.
- Linzer cookies are best served the day they are made, but I find that if you store them in the fridge they are delicious for about 2-3 days after (albeit a bit softer, which to be honest I kind of like). Enjoy!
Recommended Products:
*Note* The above links are considered as “affiliate linksâ€. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you subscribe or purchase something through the links provided that are signaled with.
The Jam Jar Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn income by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.
Leave a Reply