Description
Classic raspberry linzer cookies with powdered sugar dusting and ruby red jam showing through heart-shaped cut-out windows, arranged on a white serving platter.
Ingredients
Linzer Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup superfine almond meal
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Filling & Decoration
- 2 cups raspberry jam
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Beat the butter and sugar together for about 4 minutes until it gets pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, almond extract, and vanilla. Mix until everything looks smooth.
In another bowl, whisk the flour, almond meal, cornstarch, and salt together. Add this to the butter mixture and mix just until you can’t see any dry flour. The dough will be pretty thick.
Split the dough in half and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Flatten them into rectangles and stick them in the fridge for at least 45 minutes. Cold dough rolls out way easier and doesn’t stick to everything.
Heat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Take one piece of dough out and roll it to about 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut out circles with the bigger cutter. For half of them, cut out the centers with the smaller cutter to make windows. Keep all the scraps – you can roll them out again for more cookies.
Put the cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden. They’ll keep cooking on the hot pan, so don’t leave them in too long. Let them cool on the pan for 15 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
Use the fine sieve to dust powdered sugar all over the cookies with holes. Spread about 2 teaspoons of jam on each solid cookie. Top with a sugared cookie and press down gently until the jam shows through the window.
Notes
If your dough gets too soft while you’re working with it, just put it back in the fridge for 10 minutes. Don’t try to force it – you’ll just make a mess. When dough cracks while rolling, push it back together with your fingers. This recipe is pretty forgiving about that stuff.
My oven runs hot on the left side, so I turn the pan around halfway through baking. Figure out your oven’s quirks and work with them. Use a little spatula to spread the jam instead of a knife. Way less likely to tear the cookies.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 45 minutes chilling time)
- Cook Time: 20 minutes (10 minutes per batch)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian-inspired