Linzer Cookies are sandwich-style shortbread cookies flavored with almond, filled with jam, and dusted with confectioner’s sugar. The dough is simple to work with and the cutout shapes and jam flavor can be customized to suit any occasion or taste. These are perfect for holidays but so good you may just make them all year round!
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Linzer cookies, also known as Linzer tarts, or raspberry tartlets, are a cookie I’ve been making for many years now.
I usually make them each year for Christmas along with chocolate-dipped almond biscotti, snowball cookies, snickerdoodles, and a whole host of others. For more info on Christmas cookies be sure to listen to Podcast 27: Christmas Cookies To Make and Ones to Skip.
The almond-flavored dough is super easy to work with and each time I make them I wonder why I don’t do so more often!
I usually use raspberry jam to fill the sandwiches but you can use any flavor you’d like!
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
All ingredients for this recipe are shown in the pic below and special notes are made in this bulleted list to assist you.
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- Flour. I used 3 cups of King Arthur’s All-Purpose flour, plus more for bench flour when rolling out the cookies.
- Butter. Unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Eggs. 2 large eggs, also at room temperature.
- Almond extract. If you are allergic to nuts or prefer to not use almond extract, you can substitute it with vanilla extract. This provides great flavor and we use it in many dessert recipes, including Italian almond cookies.
- Raspberry jam. Classic Linzer cookies are usually filled with raspberry jam, however, I’ve used many others and usually use 3 different types of jam so there’s a variety of different flavors to choose from. Some of my favorites are apricot, blueberry, and apple jam.
- Confectioner’s sugar. For dusting the cookies.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine 3 cups (360g) of all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder, mix until incorporated, and set aside. (Photo #1)
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream 1 cup (226g) of room temperature butter and 1 cup (200g) of granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 2 large room-temperature eggs, 1 teaspoon of almond extract, and beat on medium-high speed until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. (Photo #2)
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and continue beating until a dough is formed. (Photo #3)
- Remove the dough and split it in half, patting each half down to form two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (Photo #4)
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a floured work surface, roll out one disc at a time to 1/8″ thick. Using a round or other shaped cookie cutter, begin to cut out the cookies. For each Linzer cookie, you’ll need to cut 2 sides of the same shape. Make a hole in one side. The side with the whole will be sandwiched on top of the other side to create a whole Linzer cookie. (Photo #5)
- Place the cutouts on the baking sheets and bake for 7-9 minutes. Once done, move to a cooling rack to allow to cool completely. Repeat the process for the remaining dough, rerolling the scraps until there is no dough left. (Photo #6)
- Once the cookie sides have cooled, spread the jam on top of the uncut sides, and place the side with the cut-outs on top to create cookie sandwiches. (Photo #7)
- Dust the sandwich Linzer cookies with confectioner’s sugar and serve, or store in an airtight container until you’re ready to serve. Enjoy! (Photo #8)
Top tips
- Room temperature ingredients. Since Linzer cookies require creaming the butter and sugar, it’s best to make sure the butter is at room temperature. Having your eggs at room temperature as well will help the ingredients combine to form a uniform texture throughout the dough.
- Cutout shapes. Some shapes will bake more quickly than others. For example, I found that the snowflake-shaped cookies tend to brown a little faster than the circle or heart-shaped cookies.
- Texture. When you first remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool, they will likely be on the crispier side. Once the cookies are sandwiched together with the jam and dusted with the powdered sugar they will soften up.
More of our favorite cookies
Here are a few more of our favorite cookie recipes. We hope you love them as much as we do!
- Pan-banging chocolate chip cookies – crispy rippled edges and chocolatey center.
- Pignoli cookies – 4 ingredient, soft and chewy cookie that’s loaded with pignoli nuts.
- Reginelle cookies – crunchy biscuit-like cookies loaded with sesame seeds and flavored with a hint of lemon zest.
- Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies – chewy, soft, chunky and delicious!
- Lemon ricotta cookies – airy lemon-flavored cookies topped with a creamy glaze and nonpareils.
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Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour plus more for bench flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups (345g) raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup (65g) confectioner's sugar may not need it all
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Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy on medium speed.
- Add the eggs and almond extract and beat on medium-high speed until incorporated, scraping down the sides if needed.
- Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture, beating until incorporated and a dough is formed.
- Split the dough in half and pat down to form two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough discs from the refrigerator and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll out one section at a time to 1/8" inch thick. Using a round or shaped cookie cutter, begin to cut out cookies. For each whole cookie you cut, you will need to cut one cookie with a hole in the center. Place the cut cookies onto the baking sheet. Use any leftover scraps to re-roll and repeat the process.
- Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Once done, move to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before spreading the preserves onto each cookie, topping with a center-cut cookie to create a sandwich, and dusting the cookies with confectioner's sugar.
Notes
- Any flavor jam can be used in place of raspberry.
- Additional jam/preserves can be spooned into the centers if desired.
- The leftover tiny cut-outs can be re-rolled to create more larger cookies, or baked as tiny cookies.
- Linzer cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks. The cookies will soften as they sit from the jam and powdered sugar.
- This recipe was written for a conventional oven. For convection ovens, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and begin checking for doneness at the 75% mark.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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THE recipe I have been looking for since I started baking 25 years …holy grail…. Every other recipe I tried was wrong in some way or another, at least in what I’m looking for. A linzer that rivals the best Long Island Italian bakeries. These exceeds all expectations. They are truly perfect and the pannone maman raspberry preserves are a huge upgrade from the usual brand. my entire family raved about these cookies and ate them all! I’m definitely going to make some more right away! Thank you so much for putting out high quality recipes that I know I can trust and I know I will not waste ingredients.
Thanks for the awesome comment, Christine! We are so happy to hear this!
I have tried many of your recipes and they usually turn out great. I may try the rainbow cookies but not until after Christmas. I have been baking all week.
I look forward to your reels and I joined Patrean. I am going to make the Horseradish dressing for out Prime Rib.
Have a wonderful Christmas with your family.
Hi Dolores, thanks for the comment! We hope you love the cookies and truly appreciate your being a Patreon supporter!
I have Hanukkah cookie cutters and will try baking these for our celebration with my husband’s family. Your instructions look clear and thorough–just what I need as a beginner baker. Then onto Christmas cookies for my side of the family:). Thanks, and Happy Holidays!
Hi Gerry, great idea to use these for Hanukkah and appreciate the comment! Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Hi Jim and Tara, I made these cookies last year and they came great only problem I made them a little to early and by Christmas the jam was bleeding through the top cookie. My plan is to make cookies now and fill with jam later. Any suggestions to add to this plan.
Hi Sandy, your plan to fill a little closer to Christmas sounds good but I’d also say give them a few days with the jam before serving. The jam helps the cookie soften to an ideal texture so I’d recommend filling them roughly 2-3 days before serving.
Thank you Tara. Keep up the great cooking
Thanks, Sandy! So happy you enjoyed!
I am going to try your linzer cookie recipe thanks for sharing Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
Hope you enjoy, Denise!
My mom used to make these wonderful cookies…I really miss her🙏🏻
Hi Drina, thanks for the comment. We’re happy you enjoyed the recipe and that it brought back some memories for you.
Just finished my first batch. They are beautiful and taste wonderful. Getting ready for Christmas. Thank you
Hi Sandy, I’m so happy you enjoyed the linzer cookies! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Thank you for the recipe I am definitely going to try to make those cookies this
Year thank you Happy Holidays to you and yours🎅🏻🎄
Hi Barbara, thanks for the comment and hope you enjoy!
As with all of your recipes these are outstanding! Thank you.
Thanks for the comment, Gary. So happy you liked them!
Stumbled upon this recipe and made these for my German mother. They were a hit! Curious where the author got the heart cookie cutters – I’ve searched and can’t find them online.
Hi Sofie, Thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed these! We bought the heart cookie cutters from Amazon. Just search for linzer cookie cutters heart and you’ll find them.
Love watching you make all the great food. Always looks so easy. Have tried some of the recipes. Always delicious.
Thanks for the comment, Andrea! I’m so happy you’re enjoying the recipes.
Delicious can’t wait to make these my favorite cookie.
Thanks for the comment, Miriam. Hope you enjoy it!
One of my families favorite cookies. Will definitely be trying your recipe, since all of your recipes haven’t let me down yet 🙂
Hi Rosalina, so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes and hope you enjoy this one as well!