Linzer Cookies

Name: Linzer Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.25 cup All-purpose flour; 1 cup Almond flour (finely ground); 0.6666667 cup Powdered (confectioners') sugar; 0.25 teaspoon Fine sea salt; 0.5 teaspoon Ground cinnamon; 12 tablespoon Unsalted butter, cold and cubed; 2 large Large egg yolks; 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon Lemon zest (from 1 small lemon); 0.75 cup Raspberry or apricot jam (seedless preferred)

Classic Linzer cookies are elegant jam-sandwich cookies made with a tender, nutty shortbread and a singed center cutout dusted with powdered sugar. They’re a showstopper for holiday cookie trays and make a beautiful, make-ahead gift or party treat.

0.0(0 reviews)

Prep: 30m · Cook: 12m · Total42 mins

DifficultyMedium

Serves8

AuthorJake

Ingredient Spotlight

Almond flour (finely ground)

Finely ground almond flour is made from blanched almonds milled to a soft, powdery texture and is commonly used in European pastries (e.g., frangipane, macarons) and gluten-free baking. It tastes mildly sweet and nutty and adds richness, moisture, and a tender crumb rather than the gluten structure of wheat flour. Find it in large supermarkets (baking/gluten-free aisle), natural foods stores, or online; good substitutes are almond meal (coarser grind) or, with recipe adjustments, a blend of all-purpose flour plus a bit of extra fat, or other nut flours/coconut flour used cautiously because they behave differently.

Jake's note

"These cookies shine during the holidays or any time you want an elegant, retro treat — the almond-enriched dough is buttery and tender while the bright jam center adds festive color. You can make the dough and cut cookies ahead, then bake the day you’ll serve them for freshest texture."

Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies are one of those small-batch bakes that feel dressy without being fussy: a tender, nut-scented shortbread sandwich framing a jewel of jam in a crisp, powdered-sugar–kissed window. In this version, finely ground almond flour and a modest dusting of powdered sugar keep the texture toothsome but delicate, while cold cubed butter and two egg yolks yield the short, flaky crumb that gives on the first bite. A touch of cinnamon and fresh lemon zest cuts through the richness and makes the jam pop; using a seedless raspberry or apricot preserve keeps the centers glossy rather than grainy, and the recommended 1/8–1/4-inch roll gives a balance of snap and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.

These cookies are built for holiday trays, gift boxes and any occasion that benefits from a pretty, portable sweet. They’re forgiving enough to assemble a day ahead and sophisticated enough to be a favored offering at tea or cocktail parties. Because the dough is sturdy when chilled, the cutouts stay crisp and the cookies stack neatly—make a double batch to freeze the unbaked discs or baked halves for easy entertaining later, or bake now and assemble on the morning of your event so the sandwich remains perfectly crisp around the jam.

Plan your timing

Enter your target meal time:

6:13 pm–6:20 pm→Whisk dry ingredients

6:20 pm–6:27 pm→Cut in the butter

6:27 pm–6:34 pm→Add yolks and flavor

6:34 pm–6:41 pm→Roll and cut

6:41 pm–6:48 pm→Bake and cool

6:48 pm–6:55 pm→Assemble and finish

Ingredients

Yield

Instructions

Whisk dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, powdered sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined. This ensures the dry components are uniform and prevents pockets of sweet or spice in the dough.

For this step

1.25 cupAll-purpose flour
1 cupAlmond flour (finely ground)
0.63 cupPowdered (confectioners') sugar
0.25 teaspoonFine sea salt
0.5 teaspoonGround cinnamon

Cut in the butter

Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or a food processor, cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse peas with some finer crumbs — a few pea-sized bits of butter should remain for a tender flaky texture.

For this step

12 tablespoonUnsalted butter, cold and cubed

Add yolks and flavor

Stir in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and mix just until the dough begins to cohere; do not overwork. Gather the dough into two flat disks, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes until firm.

For this step

2 largeLarge egg yolks
1 teaspoonVanilla extract
1 teaspoonLemon zest (from 1 small lemon)

Roll and cut

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll one chilled disk between sheets of parchment to about 1/8–1/4 inch thickness and cut with a round or decorative cookie cutter; use a smaller cutter to make the center windows for half the cookies. Transfer cut cookies on the parchment to a baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Bake and cool

Bake until the edges are just golden, about 10–12 minutes depending on size. Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before assembling.

Assemble and finish

Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam on each solid cookie, then sandwich with a cut-out top and press gently to spread. Dust the finished sandwich cookies with additional powdered sugar just before serving to highlight the cutout.

For this step

0.75 cupRaspberry or apricot jam (seedless preferred)

Tips from the kitchen

Keep the butter cold

Cold, cubed butter creates pea-sized pockets that melt in the oven and give the shortbread its flaky lift; if butter softens, chill the bowl for 10 minutes before finishing the dough.

Grind the almonds fine

Use superfine almond flour or pulse blanched almonds in a food processor until powdery so the dough cuts cleanly and the cookies don’t crumble.

Roll between parchment

Rolling between two sheets keeps thickness even and makes transfer to the baking sheet painless—aim for 1/8–1/4 inch for the ideal balance of snap and tenderness.

Cool before assembling

Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack; assembling while warm softens the tops and encourages jam to bleed into the cookie layers.

Use thicker jam

Choose a thick, seedless preserve or simmer loose jam briefly to reduce excess moisture so the centers don’t become soggy.

Variations & substitutions

Gluten-free swap

Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend and add 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum if your blend lacks binder; the almond flour already keeps the texture rich and tender.

Nut-free option

Substitute the almond flour with an equal mix of all-purpose flour plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch to maintain tenderness, keeping the texture slightly less nutty but still short and delicate.

Chocolate Linzers

Stir 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder into the dry ingredients and pair with raspberry jam or a chocolate-raspberry spread for an elegant flavor twist.

Citrus or curd fill

Swap jam for lemon curd or orange marmalade for a brighter, more tart sandwich—use less curd per cookie to avoid seepage.

Storage & make-ahead

Store assembled cookies in an airtight container with layers separated by parchment at room temperature for up to 3 days; beyond that, refrigerate for up to one week but allow them to come to room temperature before serving. Unassembled baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months—layer them with parchment and thaw on the counter, then spread jam and sandwich just before serving. You can also freeze the dough discs for up to 3 months and roll/bake from chilled.

What to serve with it

Serve Linzer cookies on a simple platter dusted with extra powdered sugar and a few fresh raspberries for color. They pair beautifully with bright black teas (Earl Grey or Darjeeling), a lightly roasted coffee, or warm mulled wine during colder months for a festive contrast to the nutty shortbread.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use whole eggs instead of just yolks?

The yolks give richness and reduce gluten development for a tender crumb; using a whole egg will make the dough slightly wetter and chewier, so if you substitute, reduce the butter by about 1 tablespoon and chill the dough thoroughly before rolling.

My dough is crumbly and won’t stick together—what do I do?

Press the mixture with your hands to bring it together and add 1 teaspoon cold water or an extra yolk, one at a time, until it just holds; chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling to firm it up.

How do I stop jam from leaking out of the cookies?

Use a thick, seedless preserve and spread sparingly (about 1 teaspoon); chilling the bottom halves briefly after spreading helps the jam set, and dust powdered sugar just before serving rather than well in advance.

Why are my cutouts losing shape in the oven?

That’s usually from overworking the dough or rolling it too warm—return the cut cookie sheet to the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes before baking to firm the butter and preserve the shape.

Can I make these ahead or freeze them?

Yes—freeze unbaked dough discs for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling, or bake and freeze assembled cookies (well layered with parchment) for up to one month; thaw at room temperature before serving.

About the author

Jake

Hello, I'm Jake. I started this recipe site with the idea that I hated recipe websites that overwhelm you with long stories and ads just to see plain content that's not helpful. My goal is to provide you with quality recipes, simple ideas and a fun cooking experience. There's lots of fun things to cook, and I think as you browse the site you'll find that TopShelf.Recipes is the place for quality recipes on the web.

See all recipes by Jake →

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Ingredients

8 servings

Step 1: Whisk dry ingredients

All-purpose flour1.25 cup
Almond flour (finely ground)1 cup
Powdered (confectioners') sugar0.63 cup
Fine sea salt0.25 teaspoon
Ground cinnamon0.5 teaspoon

Step 2: Cut in the butter

Unsalted butter, cold and cubed12 tablespoon

Step 3: Add yolks and flavor

Large egg yolks2 large
Vanilla extract1 teaspoon
Lemon zest (from 1 small lemon)1 teaspoon

Step 6: Assemble and finish

Raspberry or apricot jam (seedless preferred)0.75 cup

Nutrition Facts

Per serving: 2 cookies (70g)

Calories203

Total Fat4.4g

Saturated Fat2.5g

Trans Fat0g

Polyunsaturated Fat0.2g

Monounsaturated Fat1.2g

Total Carbohydrates36.2g

Dietary Fiber0.5g

Total Sugars12.1g

Protein5.1g

Nutrition values are estimated from USDA ingredient data and may vary based on preparation, brands, and portion sizes. Values are provided for informational purposes only.

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