Linzer Cookies

Name: Linzer Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 165 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup raw whole almonds; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup butter (softened); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup raspberry jam; 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Linzer Cookies are a must for any holiday table. These buttery sandwich cookies have a rich, nutty flavor with a dollop of raspberry jam in the center. A dusting of powdered sugar makes them look as good as they taste!

Nothing says “Christmas” to me quite like a plate of beautiful Linzer Cookies. That bright red “peek-a-boo” of raspberry jam in the middle makes them look so festive–and you’ll love the combination of flavors too. These nutty raspberry jam cookies are lightly sweetened, flecked with cinnamon and bursting with juicy raspberry!

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:

Classic Holiday Dessert – Linzer Cookies are a long time Christmas cookie tradition! Everyone knows and loves them, even if they don’t know them by name.

Made with Toasted Almonds – Finely ground almonds in the dough give this Linzer cookie recipe an even richer flavor.

Fun Cut-Out Cookies – Kids will love helping you cut out the dough for these cookies!

Easy to Customize – You can easily swap out the raspberry for other flavors of jam. Or mix and match your favorites!

Great Homemade Gift – Just add a few of these cookies to a festive holiday tin, top it with a bow, and you have a perfect gift for anyone on your list.

We love Christmas Cookie recipes around here. From Snowballs to Spritz, Gingerbread to Cut Outs, I love baking a wide variety of cookies to share with friends and family during the holiday season. These Linzer Cookies are such a lovely addition to any treat tray or dessert table. Their elegant look is always a standout, and their unique flavor always makes them a favorite.

If you’ve never made Linzer Cookies before, don’t worry, it’s simple and I’ll walk you through it, step by step.

Recipe Ingredients

This is an overview of the ingredients you will need to make this Linzer Cookie recipe. Important notes and substitutions for certain ingredients are discussed. The full printable recipe, with amounts and specific details, can be found at the bottom of the page.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Raw whole almonds – Make sure you purchase raw almonds that are unsalted. Salted almonds can make these cookies too salty.
Flour – All-purpose flour is ideal in this recipe. While I have not tested it with gluten free flour substitutes, if you have one that you successfully use for baking, that should work fine here as well.
Butter – It’s very important that the butter be softened, but not melted.
Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract is really the way to go with this recipe.
Raspberry jam – This is my favorite raspberry jam. Feel free to use other flavors of jam if you desire. Apricot works well with the flavor of the cookies.

How To Make Linzer Cookies

Let’s discuss the ingredients you’ll need, and the steps you’ll take, to make this delicious Linzer Cookie Recipe. If you want to skip my discussion, tips, information and answers to frequently asked questions, just scroll to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe.

1. Begin by toasting the almonds in the oven. This helps give a great depth of flavor to the cookies, and positively impacts the overall taste.

2 & 3. Once they have cooled completely, pulse them in a food processor.

4. After this mixture is finely ground, pulse in the flour, cinnamon, and salt.

almonds on a baking sheet and in food processor

5. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until it is creamy, then beat in the sugar until light and fluffy.

6. Beat in the egg and vanilla, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is mixed well.

7. Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture.

8. Beat on low speed until just mixed. Do not over-mix.

step by step photos showing how to make linzer cookies

9. Form the dough into two disks.

10. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator. Allow to chill for at least two hours.

11. Remove one disk from the refrigerator. Place it on a well-floured surface and allow to sit for 1 or 2 minutes prior to rolling. Roll it out to approximately ¼ inch thick. You will need to be generous with the flour to prevent sticking.

12. Use a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter to cut out as many cookies from this dough as you are able to.

linzer cookie dough being rolled out and cut

13 & 14. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out a shape from the middle of half of the cookies, this will act as the window that allows you to see the jam.

Not Shown – Roll scraps into a disk, wrap, and allow to chill. Then you can roll this out again to make more cookies.

15. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 12- 15 minutes. They should be just starting to turn golden on the edges.

16. Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread a heaping ½ teaspoon of jam onto the bottom side cookies.

Assembling Linzer Cookies

Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar. Make sure to dust the top cookies with powdered sugar BEFORE placing them on the jam cookies otherwise the jam center will be covered in powdered sugar and will not show as well. Place the cookie with the cut-out on top of the jam cookie.

Tips and Advice

Storage

Once baked, place your Linzer Cookies in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for 2-3 days. Or you may freeze them for up to 1 month (just make sure the jam is fully set before wrapping them).

Equipment Used

Food Processor – I am a big fan of this very basic Cuisinart food processor. I have been using mine for 18 years!
Electric Hand Mixer
Fluted Cookie Cutter
Miniature Cookie Cutters

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to toast the almonds before putting them in the food processor?

No, but it does add an extra depth of flavor and I highly recommend doing so.

I am finding that the dough really cracks when I roll it out – am I doing something wrong?

Make sure to let it sit for a minute or 2 out of the fridge. Then, if it cracks, you can patch the cracks with scraps of dough.

The dough seems sticky – what can I do?

Put the dough into the fridge and allow it to chill again. It is easier to work with when it is well chilled. If you still find that it is sticky, use more flour on the rolling surface and rolling pin. You can also sprinkle the top of the dough with flour as well.

My jam is really runny – how could I thicken it up?

While the dough is chilling, place ¾ cup raspberry jam in a small saucepan. Allow this to simmer until it has thickened and reduced to about ½ cup. Remove this from the heat and allow it to cool completely prior to using it to fill the linzer cookies.

Linzer cookies on a pink plate and blue background.

More Cookie Recipes To Try

If you enjoy this recipe, here are some other cookie recipes that I think you will love!

Linzer cookies on blue and pink backgrounds

Click to pin and save.

I love to hear from readers like you! If you’ve tried this, please leave a comment and review below. If you have photos, tag me @lovefromtheoven #lftorecipes on Instagram and Pinterest. Thanks!

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe: