This Linzer cookies recipe yields festive, elegant sandwich cookies perfect for holidays or any special occasion. Buttery, crisp, and nutty, they’re filled with jam and dusted with confectioners’ sugar for a timeless, delicious treat.
If you enjoy nutty cookies, try Mexican Wedding Cookies or Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies with pecans and white chocolate for additional inspiration.
This easy recipe is sponsored by Anolon. As always, opinions are my own.
These Linzer sandwich cookies look impressive but are straightforward to make. If you can cut out a sugar cookie, you’ll find this recipe very approachable—fun to assemble and rewarding to share.
What Are Linzer Cookies?
Linzer cookies are sandwich cookies made with a nut-enriched dough—traditionally ground almonds—filled with jam or preserves. The top cookie has a small cutout, a “peekaboo” window that reveals the colorful filling. They trace back to Linz, Austria, and are closely related to the Linzer torte, a pastry known for its lattice-topped fruit filling.
The Best Linzer Cookies Recipe
These cookies are adaptable: substitute different nuts (pistachios or hazelnuts work well) and try various fillings such as seedless raspberry jam, cherry preserves, lingonberry jam, lemon curd, Nutella, or dulce de leche. Cutters in seasonal shapes—stars for Christmas, hearts for Valentine’s Day—make them perfect for gifting or parties.
Linzer Cookie Ingredients
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Butter: unsalted, softened.
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Flour: all-purpose flour plus almond flour (or finely chopped almonds).
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Sugar: granulated sugar.
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Egg yolk: from a large egg.
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Flavorings: vanilla extract, lemon zest, ground cinnamon.
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Salt: kosher or sea salt.
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Preserves: seedless raspberry, cherry, or lingonberry jam.
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Confectioners’ sugar: for dusting.
How To Make Linzer Cookies
Follow these clear steps for Raspberry Linzer cookies. The full recipe card below lists exact amounts and timings.
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Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add cinnamon, lemon zest, egg yolk, and vanilla; mix to combine.
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Whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt in a separate bowl.
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Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined—don’t overmix.
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Divide dough in half, shape into discs, wrap, and refrigerate until firm.
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Roll one disc to about 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 2½-inch cutter to cut cookies; transfer to a parchment-lined sheet. Re-roll scraps as needed.
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Chill the cut cookies for about 20 minutes. For the top halves, cut small peekaboo windows with a smaller cutter and chill an additional 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake cookies 12–15 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
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Dust the top cookies with confectioners’ sugar, spread about ½ teaspoon jam on the bottom cookies, and sandwich together.
What size cookie cutter is best?
A 2½-inch cookie cutter works well for these Linzer cookies; use a small cutter for the peekaboo window.
How To Store Linzer Cookies
Store baked Linzer cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Note that they may soften slightly as the jam adds moisture.
For longer storage, freeze unfilled, baked cookie cutouts (without jam or powdered sugar) to preserve texture. Alternatively, freeze assembled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container with wax paper between layers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
Dough can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
I baked these Linzer cookies using a non-stick Anolon cookie sheet for effortless release, even heat distribution, and easy cleanup.
Effortless release, even heat distribution, wide rim and handles, easy cleanup
Linzer Cookie Fact Box
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Linzer cookies share their dough with Linzertorte; the same rich, nutty pastry is shaped and baked as cookies.
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Linzertorte dates back centuries and remains a classic European holiday pastry.
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The traditional Linzertorte filling is black currant jam, but raspberry, cherry, or lingonberry are common choices for cookies.
Linzer Cookies Recipe
Kathy McDaniel
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Ingredients
- ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Zest of 1 small lemon
- 1 egg yolk (large egg)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
- Seedless raspberry, cherry, or lingonberry jam for filling
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Instructions
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add cinnamon, lemon zest, egg yolk, and vanilla; mix to combine.
- In a bowl, combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Divide dough in half, press each into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator about 1 hour.
- Roll one disc to 1/8-inch thick and cut with a 2½-inch cutter (about 15 cookies). Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. If dough softens, refrigerate until firm and continue.
- Chill cutouts for 20 minutes. Cut peekaboo windows from half the cookies using a smaller cutter and chill an additional 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake cookies 12–15 minutes until edges just begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack.
- Dust top cookies with confectioners’ sugar, spread about ½ teaspoon jam on bottom cookies, and sandwich together. Store in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
Nutrition
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