Linzer Cookies
Stained Glass and Snowy Confections Make for Beautiful Christmas Cookies
Even if you’ve never heard of linzer cookies, you’ve probably enjoyed eating them around the holidays. I love these sandwich cookies because they look like little stained glass windows with a dusting of snow on them — perfect for getting into the holiday spirit (and even more importantly, adding them into my cookie gift boxes)!
What are Linzer Cookies?
Linzer cookies are shortbread sandwich cookies with a jam filling. They’re kind of like mini versions of the linzer torte, which is an almond-based tart filled with jam. It originated in the city of Linz, Austria and has been around since the 1600s. The history of these cookies is murky; we only know that they taste and look a lot like a linzer torte.
How to Make Linzer Cookies—Tips and Tricks
Some linzer cookie recipes call for a nut flour like almond or hazelnut flour, but I keep my recipe simple with all-purpose flour. One of the signature flavors in this cookie is lemon. I use lemon zest in my recipe, but I like it to be just a bit more lemony so I add a touch of lemon oil — but just a little bit, because it can be intense!
As with other sugar or shortbread cookies, butter, sugar, and flour are combined in a mixer to form the dough. It’s then refrigerated overnight before being rolled out and cut. To make it a sandwich cookie, two pieces of linzer dough have to be cut, but the little window requires a special linzer cookie cutter that cuts the window for you.
After they’re baked, jam is spread on one cookie and the other cookie tops the jam. You can use any jam you like—strawberry, blueberry or raspberry jam all work nicely with the lemony flavor. To top it all off, for a little Christmas cheer, the cookies are finished with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. They’re so fun to make and even more fun to eat.
Linzer Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
- 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons (1 1⁄2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- A few drops of lemon oil (optional)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
- 2 cups of your favorite fruit jam
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, lemon zest, and lemon oil (if using) until light in color. Add the sugar and beat to combine. Beat in the egg, followed by the egg yolk and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy (about 2 to 3 minutes), then reduce speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. Form the dough into a ball. Divide the ball into thirds. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. This dough can also be refrigerated overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly dust a work area with flour. Place one piece of dough on the work surface. Roll out dough to 1⁄8-inch thickness. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles. Consolidate any scraps and repeat until all the dough is used.
- Set aside half of the circles. With the other half, use a smaller cookie cutter or a knife to cut out a smaller design in the center (such as a heart, star, teardrop, or smaller circle). Transfer all of the cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the edges of your cookies are golden in color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheets for 8 to 10 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks. Continue rolling out and baking the remaining dough.
- After the cookies are completely cool, spread jam over the rounds without a cut-out. Using a sifter or a fine mesh sieve, lightly dust the rounds with cut-outs with powdered sugar.
- Assemble the cookies by placing the powdered sugar round on top of the jam round. They should look like little jam sandwiches. Store your cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Tip: These cookies freeze well, too! They are also highly customizable… try using lemon curd or Nutella in the middle instead of jam.
