These stunning almond cookies boast a wonderfully soft and tender texture, subtly enhanced by hints of rich brown sugar, warm cinnamon, and nutty almond. The cookies themselves are perfectly balanced in sweetness, allowing the bright fruit preserves and a final flourish of powdered sugar to provide a delightful contrast. More than just visually appealing, Linzer cookies are incredibly delicious and make exceptional gifts, bringing joy to any occasion. I frequently include them in gift assortments alongside favorites like soft gingerbread cookies, cherry pecan cookies, and classic soft sugar cookies. My experience with this recipe runs deep; I’ve personally baked tens of thousands of these for initiatives like Cookies for Kids Cancer, as special giveaways at restaurants, and for our bakery’s popular Christmas Cookie Tins.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Adore This Linzer Cookie Recipe
• What Exactly Are Linzer Cookies?
• Expert Tips for Crafting Perfect Linzer Cookies
• Essential Ingredients for Linzer Cookies
• Creative Variations & Substitutions
• Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Linzer Cookies
• Chef Lindsey’s Secret Tip
• Frequently Asked Questions About Linzer Cookies
• Full Linzer Cookies Recipe Card
• Before You Go!

Why You’ll Adore This Linzer Cookie Recipe

This Linzer cookie recipe isn’t just another cookie; it’s a testament to professional baking, refined over years to guarantee consistently perfect results. Here’s why it will become your new go-to:

• Ideal for Shipping & Gifting: Raspberry Linzer cookies are remarkably stable, making them perfect for shipping to loved ones or adding to holiday cookie platters. What’s more, their flavor and tender texture actually deepen and improve over time, making them a fantastic make-ahead gift!
• Scalable for Any Batch Size: Whether you’re baking a small batch for your family or a massive quantity for a special event, this recipe is incredibly versatile. In my professional career, I’ve scaled this exact recipe to fill an 80-quart mixer, yielding thousands of cookies with the same exceptional quality as a smaller batch. For larger preparations, always use a kitchen scale for precise ingredient measurements.
• The Ultimate Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture: Unlike many Linzer recipes that rely on a simple shortbread dough (which can sometimes be too dry for a sandwich cookie), our recipe uses a generous amount of butter and less sugar. This unique balance creates an incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie that absorbs moisture from the jam beautifully, softening perfectly without becoming overly sweet. It’s truly a superior sandwich cookie experience.

What Exactly Are Linzer Cookies?

Linzer cookies are elegant, jam-filled sandwich cookies, directly inspired by the famous Viennese Linzer Torte. These delightful confections typically feature a rich, buttery dough flavored with finely ground nuts, most commonly almonds or hazelnuts. While raspberry or apricot preserves are the traditional fillings, any fruit jam or even other spreads can create a delightful variation. Characterized by a cut-out “window” on the top cookie that reveals the vibrant filling beneath, Linzer cookies are not only a feast for the taste buds but also a treat for the eyes, especially popular during holiday seasons and special occasions.

Expert Tips for Crafting Perfect Linzer Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality Linzer cookies is simple with these professional insights. Follow these tips to ensure your cookies are tender, flavorful, and beautifully presented every time:

• Patience is a Virtue: Allow Flavors to Meld. While tempting to devour immediately, Linzer cookies truly shine on the second day, or even a few days after assembly! Apply a nice, thin layer of jam or preserves all the way to the edges of the bottom cookies. Over time, the jam will soften and permeate the cookie, creating a unified, irresistible flavor and texture. This melding of flavors is absolutely to die for!
• Bake Tops and Bottoms Separately: The delicate cut-out tops of Linzer cookies bake much faster than the solid bottom pieces. To avoid overbaking the tops or underbaking the bottoms, always bake them on separate baking sheets. This allows you to remove each batch precisely when it’s perfectly golden.
• Resist the Urge to Overfill: It’s easy to get carried away with the delicious jam, but using too much can actually detract from the cookie experience. Excessive filling can cause the top cookie to slide off, the jam to ooze out the sides, and disrupt the delicate balance of flavors. A modest ¾ teaspoon of preserves per cookie is typically ideal.
• For even more detailed guidance, be sure to check the “How to Make” section below for additional professional tips integrated into each step!

Creative Variations & Substitutions for Linzer Cookies

Linzer cookies are a fantastic canvas for culinary creativity! Feel free to experiment with these ideas to personalize your batch:

• Endless Shapes & Sizes: Embrace the versatility of Linzer cookies! Use any cookie cutters you adore. Heart shapes are lovely for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, while snowflakes, stars, or trees are perfect for festive Christmas bakes. Make them as grand or as petite as you wish – you don’t need a specialized Linzer cookie cutter set, just use what you already have and have fun!
• A Medley of Jams & Spreads: Get adventurous with your fillings! Beyond the classic raspberry, try apricot, peach, or strawberry jam. For a decadent twist, consider spreads like Nutella (as seen in these chocolate Nutella Linzer cookies), bright lemon curd, spiced cookie butter, or even a rich salted caramel sauce. Just remember that fillings like lemon curd will require refrigeration.
• Infuse the Dough with New Flavors: Elevate the cookie dough itself! I’ve successfully made this recipe with almond extract, hazelnut flour, and even different types of almond flour. For a bright, citrusy note, finely grate orange or lemon zest directly into the sugar before creaming it with the butter. The zest’s oils will infuse the sugar, creating a wonderfully aromatic dough.
• Opt for a Glaze Instead of Powdered Sugar: During my time baking for restaurants and Cookies for Kids Cancer, my Linzer cookies became so popular they were affectionately dubbed “Lindsey’s Linzers.” One memorable year, I created a “lemon poppy seed” theme. I flavored the dough with lemon zest, then instead of powdered sugar, I glazed the tops with a simple mixture of powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice, finished with a sprinkle of poppy seeds. You can achieve similar vibrant results using orange juice or even tropical passionfruit juice!

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Linzer Cookies

Follow these detailed instructions to create perfect Austrian-inspired Linzer cookies every time. You’ll find further details and precise measurements in the comprehensive recipe card below!

Prepare the Cookie Dough

This method ensures a tender, flavorful dough that’s easy to work with.

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon until thoroughly combined. Set this dry mixture aside.
2. Process Almonds (if applicable): If you’re using whole blanched almonds, combine them with ¼ cup of the light brown sugar in a food processor. Pulse intermittently until the almonds are finely ground, resembling a coarse meal. Be careful not to over-process, or you’ll end up with almond butter. If using almond meal, simply mix it with ¼ cup of brown sugar, breaking up any clumps.
3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened, room-temperature unsalted butter and the remaining ¼ cup of brown sugar together. Cream them until the mixture is light and fluffy, which should take approximately 2 to 3 minutes. This creaming method incorporates air, contributing to the cookies’ tender texture. While it won’t get as intensely fluffy as a cake batter (due to the high butter content), it should still be noticeably lighter.
4. Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and pure vanilla extract until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
5. Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the ground almond mixture, followed by the flour mixture in several additions. Mix just until everything is combined, taking care not to over-mix, which can develop the gluten and result in tough cookies. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
6. Chill the Dough: Divide the finished cookie dough in half. Shape each half into a flat disk and wrap them securely in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight, until it is firm. This crucial chilling step allows the gluten to relax, prevents the cookies from spreading excessively during baking, and makes the dough much easier to roll and cut.

Roll, Cut, and Bake

Precision in this stage ensures beautifully shaped cookies.

7. Prepare for Baking: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If your dough was chilled as disks, allow them to warm up on the counter just until they are firm but slightly pliable—cool to the touch but not rock hard. If you pre-rolled your dough between parchment, you can skip this warming step and proceed to cutting.
8. Roll Out the Dough: Lightly dust your counter or a large piece of parchment paper with bench flour. Roll out one disk of dough to an even ⅛-inch thickness. This dough can be a little sticky, so re-flour your surface as needed. Rolling too thin will result in crispier cookies that don’t soften as nicely when assembled, while a slightly thicker roll (e.g., just under ¼ inch, as in some of my pictures) will yield a chewier, “chubbier” cookie.
9. Cut & Arrange Cookies: Using your chosen cookie cutter (e.g., a diamond shape for a classic look), cut out shapes from the dough. Carefully transfer these cutouts to your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about one inch apart. Now, for half of these cookies, use a smaller cookie cutter (or a paring knife) to cut out the centers – these will be your “tops.” Gather all dough scraps, gently press them together, re-roll, and cut more cookies until all dough is used.
10. Optional Second Chill: Once all your cookies are cut and arranged on baking sheets, you have the option to chill them again for 20-25 minutes, or until firm to the touch. This step is highly recommended as it helps prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven, ensuring they maintain their crisp, defined edges.
11. Bake Separately: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven. Remember to bake the solid bottom pieces and the cut-out top pieces on separate baking sheets, as they will bake at different rates. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking process for even browning. Bake until the edges just begin to brown slightly, and the centers puff up with small surface cracks. For my oven, this typically takes 8-10 minutes for the bottoms and 6-8 minutes for the tops.
12. Cool Completely: Allow the cookies to cool slightly on their baking sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from breaking and ensures they set properly.

Assemble and Enjoy

The final touches bring these beautiful cookies to life.

16. Dust the Tops: Once the cut-out top cookies have completely cooled, generously dust them with powdered sugar. This creates their iconic snowy appearance.
17. Spread the Preserves: Take a bottom cookie (the solid piece) and spread about ¾ teaspoon of your chosen preserves onto its surface, ensuring the jam almost reaches the edges. You can use a little more if you prefer, but I find this amount perfectly balances the raspberry flavor with the rich almond cookie, preventing it from overpowering.
18. Assemble: Carefully place a powdered top cookie over each jam-covered bottom cookie and press gently to adhere them together. While you can enjoy them immediately, I highly recommend waiting at least a day. This allows the flavors to truly meld and the cookies to soften slightly from the jam, creating an even more unified and delicious experience.

Frequently Asked Questions About Linzer Cookies

If you tried this recipe and loved it, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you; your comments make my day!

Before You Go!

We hope you thoroughly enjoyed this professional chef-tested recipe for traditional Linzer cookies. Our goal is to bring you delicious, reliable recipes every time. Don’t stop at Linzer cookies – explore our other fantastic cookie recipes, including these delightful chocolate chip shortbread cookies. Or, for even more festive inspiration, browse our complete collection of Christmas cookie recipes! Happy baking!