Ingredients
Scale
For the Cookie Dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
For Assembly:
- 3/4 to 1 cup seedless raspberry jam or preserves (high quality, thick consistency)
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients – In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cinnamon, cloves, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar – In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Egg Yolks and Zest – Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the lemon zest (and vanilla extract if using) and mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry – With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix just until the dough comes together and no flour streaks remain. Don’t overmix! The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
- Chill the Dough – Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a flat disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 3 days. The dough must be well-chilled to roll out properly.
- Preheat Oven – When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll Out Dough – Remove one disk from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of parchment paper), roll the dough to about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. If the dough is too hard to roll, let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
- Cut Cookie Shapes – Using your larger cookie cutter (2-3 inches), cut out shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. These will be your bottom cookies.
- Cut Window Shapes – Re-roll scraps and continue cutting cookies. For the top cookies, use the same large cutter to cut shapes, then use a smaller cutter (1-1.5 inches) to cut out a window in the center of each cookie. The cutout window should be significantly smaller than the outer shape. Set the tiny cutouts aside—you can bake these as mini cookies!
- Chill Again (Optional but Helpful) – If the dough becomes too soft while working, place the cut cookies on the baking sheets in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before baking. This helps them hold their shape.
- Bake – Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are very lightly golden and the cookies look dry and set. Don’t overbake—they should remain pale. The cookies will be soft when hot but will firm up as they cool.
- Cool Completely – Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. They must be completely cool before assembly or the jam will melt and make them soggy.
- Prepare Jam – While cookies cool, if your jam is very thick or has large fruit pieces, you can gently warm it and stir until smooth, then let it cool to room temperature. It should be spreadable but not runny.
- Dust Top Cookies – Place the cookies with the cutout windows on a clean surface. Using a fine-mesh sieve, generously dust them with powdered sugar. Set aside.
- Assemble Cookies – Place about 1 teaspoon of jam in the center of each bottom cookie (the solid ones without windows). Use a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread it evenly, leaving a small border around the edges. Don’t overfill or the jam will squeeze out.
- Create Sandwiches – Carefully place a powdered-sugar-dusted top cookie on each jam-covered bottom cookie, pressing very gently. The jam should be visible through the window but shouldn’t squeeze out the sides.
- Let Set – Let the assembled cookies sit for at least 1 hour to allow the jam to set and the cookies to “marry.” They actually taste even better the next day!
- Store and Enjoy – Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Chilling is Essential – Don’t skip chilling the dough! It must be cold to roll out properly without sticking or spreading excessively during baking.
- Roll Between Parchment – For easiest rolling with minimal flour, roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper. This prevents adding too much flour which can make cookies dry.
- Jam Consistency Matters – Use thick, high-quality jam. Runny or thin jam will leak during assembly and make cookies soggy. Seedless is easier but seeded preserves work too.
- Don’t Overbake – Linzer cookies should remain pale. Overbaking makes them hard instead of tender. Remove when edges are barely golden.
- Complete Cooling Required – Never assemble warm cookies! The heat will melt the jam and soften the cookies. Wait until completely cool to room temperature.
- Dust Before Assembly – Always dust the top cookies with powdered sugar before assembling. It’s nearly impossible to do neatly after assembly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 30mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg