Linzer Cookies Recipe – Sharmis Passions

Linzer cookies are soft but have a little crisp bite, with a nice nutty taste from almonds and sweet fruity jam inside. The powdered sugar on top makes it look pretty and gives light sweetness. Every bite has that mix of crunch and melt, and the jam gives a fresh flavor in the middle.

This is a nice cookie to make when you want something special but not too difficult to make. Almond gives a rich taste, jam keeps it fruity and light. You can serve it with tea, give for gifting or just enjoy with family on weekends. It takes a little time but when you see them ready, it feels worth it.

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About Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies come from the famous Linzer torte in Austria, it’s like a tart made with nuts and jam. Here we make them as small sandwich cookies. One piece has a little hole in the middle so the jam shows, and it makes them look really pretty. That’s also something to make during Christmas or when they want a special cookie.

The dough is made with ground almonds, butter, flour and a bit of lemon zest for nice fresh smell. The texture comes soft but little crumbly, and it melts in your mouth. The jam in middle gives a sweet and little tangy bite that goes so well with the buttery taste, they also bake to a nice golden color that makes them look yummy.

You can use any jam you like – raspberry, strawberry, apricot or even homemade ones. Some people add small pinch of cinnamon in the dough for warm smell and taste. The jam color can change how the cookies look, and when you dust sugar on top, it makes them even more tempting to eat.

I usually make these when I have friends visiting. They look fancy on the table but don’t need too many things to make. Only cutting and shaping takes little time. Rich,buttery jam cookies tasted yum that I couldn’t resist myself.

You can even make a simple shortbread or sugar cookie dough and make these cookies but this is the traditional way of making linzer cookies.

Linzer Cookies Ingredients

• Maida (all purpose flour) – I have used this for the cookie base, it gives smooth and soft texture. You can also try wheat flour if you want little earthy taste.
• Whole almonds – I just soak, peel and light toast them for nice smell and rich taste. You can use ready almond meal too if you want to save time.
• Cinnamon powder – I add some for that mild nutty taste. You can skip if you don’t like spice in cookies.
• Lemon zest – I always use fresh lemon zest for light citrus smell. Orange zest will also work if you want different flavor.
• Unsalted butter – I use this to make the cookie soft and rich. If you are using salted butter, then skip extra pinch of salt.
• Granulated sugar – I added for sweetness and also for grinding with almonds so it becomes fine.
• Vanilla essence – I add little for sweet smell that goes well with fruity jam.
• Powdered sugar – I used this for dusting on top before serving, makes the cookies look nice and more tempting.
• Egg – I have used for binding the dough. For eggless, you can use milk or thick curd instead.
• Jam – Any fruit jam works. I used fruity jam because it gives bright color in center and nice tangy sweet taste.

Why This Recipe Works

• This recipe gives cookies that are soft with a light crisp edge.
• Almond in the dough adds rich nutty flavor and smell.
• The cut-out shape with jam makes it look pretty and festive.
• You can change the jam flavor to suit your taste.
• The dough can be made before and baked later, so easy for planning.

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How to make Linzer Cookies Recipe Step by Step

1.Soak almonds in hot water for 15 minutes. Peel off the skin and toast the almonds in a pan till slight brown spots appear here and there. Cool down.

2.Take almonds along with a tablespoon of granulated sugar in a mixer and grind it to a semi fine powder, Set aside. Scrape the lemon outer skin to take lemon zest.

3.In a mixing bowl, take flour, cinnamon powder, salt and lemon zest. Whisk it well. Carefully separate egg yolk and keep aside.

4.In a mixing bowl take butter, add sugar to it beat it well using a hand mixer or with a whisk. Beat well till the mixture becomes fluffy at least for 2 minutes.

5.Add vanilla essence, powdered almonds and eggs. Beat it for 2 minutes. Finally add flour.

6.Beat it till the mixture comes together. Bring together with your hands to form a smooth dough.

7.Wrap in cling film and chill the dough at least for 30 minutes. Preheat oven at 180 deg C for 10 minutes. First get ready with cookie cutter, you need small and big cutters like these

8.I used only half dough now and stored the rest for later use. Now lay butter paper or parchment paper, place the dough and again place another butter paper and roll the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Take your cookie cutter, dip it in flour.

9.Cut like this, first with bigger cutter then cut with smaller cutter in the center.

10.Collect the scraps and then roll again, repeat to finish until the entire dough gets over. Arrange it in a baking tray.

11.Bake in preheated oven at 180 deg C for 10-12 minutes or until the edges starts to turn golden brown. Do not be tempted to bake more the cookies will become hard. Now take jam and place in inside simmering water for few mins so that the jam turns goey and spreadable.

12.Get ready with icing sugar too. First separate the cookies with hole and without hole and place separately. First in a plate place the cookies without hole upside down. Spread jam on it.

13.Now take the cookies with a hole,sieve icing sugar on it

14.Now take the hole cookies and place it on the cookies with jam. Now your cookies are ready.

Keeps well for about 2 weeks in room temperature itself!

Expert Tips

• Chill the dough – I always chill the dough at least 30 minutes before cutting. This makes the butter set well, so when baking the cookies keep shape nicely and don’t spread much.
• Cutting shapes – I use one big cutter for the cookie base and small one for the middle hole. If you dip the cutter in flour each time, it cuts easy and doesn’t stick to the dough.
• Rolling the dough – Roll the dough in between two butter papers. This way it won’t stick to rolling pin and you get even thickness, so all cookies bake same.
• Baking – Bake only until you see the edges turn light golden. I watch close because just one extra minute can make them too hard instead of soft.
• Filling – I warm the jam little so it spreads smooth and don’t break the cookie. I mostly fill them only before serving, so they stay crisp and not soggy from the jam.

Serving and Storage

Serve Linzer cookies with tea or coffee. They also look nice on a dessert plate for parties. Store plain cookies in a airtight box for 2 weeks. Once you put jam, keep in fridge and finish in 2-3 days.

FAQS

1.Can I make without almonds?

Yes, you can, but almonds give very nice taste and smell. You can try cashews also if you like.

2.Can I make the dough in advance?

Yes, just wrap it tight and keep in fridge for 2 days. For longer storage, freeze it and thaw before making cookies.

3.Which jam is best?

Any thick fruit jam will work. I mostly like raspberry or strawberry for the color and taste.

4.How to make eggless?

Use two tablespoon milk or thick curd instead of egg, it works fine.

5.Why my cookies became soft after filling?

Jam makes cookies soft after some hours. Better to fill them just before serving so they stay crisp.

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