Linzer Cookies
It is December and the holiday season is fast approaching. I love this time of the year when it is snowy and cold outside, and I am indoors baking up some delicious cookies with holiday tunes playing in the background. The heavenly aroma of cookies baking in the oven while I rewatch my favorite holiday movie is enough to soothe and calm down my mind.
Linzer cookies are a holiday classic. Nutty, buttery cookies filled with your favorite jam and dusted with powdered sugar make for a gorgeous and decadent treat. With their snow-like dusting of confectioners' sugar and glistening red raspberry jam filling, these will surely bring on all the festive holiday vibes!
What are Linzer Cookies?
The Linzer cookie, believed to have originated in the city of Linz, is inspired by Linzertorte, one of the most famous and beloved confections in Austria. The cookies are like mini versions of the torte, which are made with almond flour, typically filled with raspberry, strawberry, or apricot jam, and finished off with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Here are some of the other recipes that you can make for the holiday season: Extra Notes
- Since I made these for Christmas and wanted them to look festive, I used raspberry jam. But you’re welcome to play around with different fillings and flavors!
- Not a jam lover at all? Why not go totally against tradition and use a chocolate spread like Nutella, or a spread like almond butter or peanut butter?
- These cookies are best served the day they are assembled. Overtime, the linzer cookies will lose their crunch as the jam will inevitably soften and moisten the cookie. To enjoy crisp cookies at your own pace, simply assemble the cookies whenever the sweet cravings strike. Keep the cooled shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and when you want to eat them, add the jam and sandwich together as desired.
If you make these Linzer Cookies this holiday season, I would love to know how they turned out! Please let me know by leaving a comment below.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup Raspberry jam
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions:
- Combine the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, and stir until evenly combined.
- In another bowl, combine the butter and sugar and using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Then slowly add the egg, the orange zest, the vanilla extract and the almond extract to the butter mixture and beat on low speed for 30 seconds until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed for 1 minute or so until everything is well combined.
- Shape the dough into a disk about 1-inch thick, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour until chilled.
- Heat the oven to 175°C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Transfer the dough to a floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it out until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out your desired shapes with your cookie cutters (half solid shapes, half with cut-out “windows”) and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Re-roll out any dough scraps that remain and repeat the process to make use of all of the dough.
- Bake the cookies for about 12-14 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack until they have cooled completely to room temperature.
- To assemble the cookies, spread a small spoonful of jam on the base of a solid cookie, then place a cookie with a cutout on top to create a sandwich. Try not to use too much jam, or it will spill out when you press them together!
- Use a fine mesh strainer to dust the cookies with powdered sugar and enjoy!
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