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!

Overhead shot of linzer cookies with powdered sugar on grey baking sheet.


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!

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.

Ingredients shown: flour, butter, almond extract, salt, eggs, baking powder, sugar, powdered sugar, and raspberry jam.
  • 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.

  1. 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)
Linzer cookies recipe process shot collage group number one showing mixing dry ingredients in bowl, and wet ingredients in kitchen aid mixer.
  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)
  2. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and continue beating until a dough is formed. (Photo #3)
Recipe process shot collage group number two showing kitchen aid with mixed dough and 2 discs of dough wrapped in plastic.
  1. 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)
  2. 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)
Recipe process shot collage group number three showing rolling pin alongside cutout cookies and baking sheet with baked cookies.
  1. 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)
  2. 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)
Recipe process shot collage group number four with hands spreading jam on cookies and hands dusting sugar on cookies.
  1. 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)
Closeup shot of heart shaped linzer cookie.

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.
Overhead shot of linzer cookies with powdered sugar sifter on grey baking sheet.

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!

If you’ve enjoyed this Linzer Cookie Recipe or any recipe on this site, give it a 5-star rating and tell us about it in the comments below.

We strive to satisfy a number of learning styles.  If you are someone who prefers to learn by watching, you can find most of our recipes on YouTube and our Facebook Page.

Linzer Cookies

5 from 7 votes
Prep: 45 minutes
Resting time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total: 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 44 sandwich cookies
Linzer cookies are sandwich-style cutout cookies flavored with almond, filled with raspberry jam, and dusted with confectioner's sugar. 

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

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

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.5g | Protein: 1.2g | Fat: 4.3g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 30mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 10.8g | Calcium: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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22 Comments

  1. 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.

    1. 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.

    1. Hi Drina, thanks for the comment. We’re happy you enjoyed the recipe and that it brought back some memories for you.

  2. 5 stars
    Just finished my first batch. They are beautiful and taste wonderful. Getting ready for Christmas. Thank you

  3. 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🎅🏻🎄

  4. 5 stars
    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.

    1. 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.

  5. 5 stars
    One of my families favorite cookies. Will definitely be trying your recipe, since all of your recipes haven’t let me down yet 🙂