The Best Linzer Cookies Recipe

Linzer cookies are a combination of buttery orange infused shortbread and jam, as pleasing to look at as they are to eat. These festive treats are perfect for any holiday or special occasion. These are perfect for the sharing during a cookie exchange! Serve along with other festive cookies such as Grinch Cookies, Perfect Gingerbread Cookies and Best Ever Molasses Cookies for a delicious cookie smorgasbord.

These elegant cookies are so joyful just to look at, with their top centers cut out in a fun shape to show through the colorful jam. The dusting of powdered sugar adds the perfect touch creating a fancy touch to these morsels of joy. Perfect for gift giving, cookie exchanges, parties or just because, these will be the star of the table. The buttery shortbread has just enough zest and cinnamon to add flavor coupled with a tart filling is a match made in heaven.

The linzer cookie is smaller twist and version of a Linzertorte, which is said to have originated in Linz Austria in the early 1700s. The torte traditionally was made of flour, ground nuts, sugar, egg yolks, citrus zest and spices. It was filled with preserves and topped with a lattice crust. The cookie is made with the same ingredients but presented in cookie form with the jam sandwiched between and dusted with powdered sugar. So divine!

Shortbread Linzer Ingredients

Butter: Make sure this is at room temperature. Sugar: granulated Orange Zest: brightens the cookie dough flavor Egg Yolk: binder for the dough Vanilla: sweetness Flour: All purpose Almond Flour: You can find this with regular flour in the baking section or your local grocery store. Salt: Creates balance to the sweetness Cinnamon: Just enough spice

Don’t Forget the Jam!

The jam is the best part of the filling for these Linzer Cookies. You will love the burst of flavor that comes in each bite of cookie!

Jam: Use your favorite jam, strawberry, raspberry, lemon or other. Powdered sugar: This is for sifting over the cookies.

Making Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Tips for the Most Stately Linzer Cookies

These aren’t overly complicated but there are a few things to ensure perfection.

Rolling: Roll the dough out thinly, if it’s too thick you’ll lose the shape in the oven and they can become dry and hefty. Making Rolling Easier: If you find rolling out refrigerated dough hard to do, try rolling it out first then refrigerating it covered on parchment lined baking sheet. Losing it’s Shape: To avoid the cookies losing their shape in the oven, keep them thin and be sure to refrigerate them after you’ve cut them out so the butter can harden up again. This will reduce any spreading. Powdered Topping: If you find the powdered sugar has dissolved into your cookies, dust them again before sandwiching them together. If you want to give another dusting before serving, do it. Use a spoon or knife to dab the jam to help the sugar dissolve into the jam. Store: These will keep for a 3-4 days in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Jam: Feel free to use what ever kind of jam you like for a filling. I like tart jams as they have a nice zing with the shortbread like cookie. You can also make a nice curd to go in the center. Lemon is a common flavor. And don’t forget chocolate! Chocolate ganache inside would be perfect too! Cutting out: You can use what ever shape of cutters you like, round, square, shaped, the possibilities are endless. You just to need to make sure you have a cutter that is smaller to create the window in the top of the cookie for the filling to shine peek through Cookie Dough: Add ½ cup of cocoa powder and an extra egg yolk for a chocolaty version. Substitute lemon zest for the orange, or trade out hazelnut flour for the almond flour. Add more cinnamon, or trade out cardamom or nutmeg for a different flavor.

More Cookies to Love

Cookies are the best handheld dessert!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Cowboy Cookies Danish Butter Cookies Snow Kiss Cookies White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookies

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.