Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Raspberry Linzer cookies pair buttery, tender rounds with a bright layer of raspberry jam. A small cutout in each top cookie lets the filling peek through, while powdered sugar gives the finished cookies their snowy finish.
The dough gets its delicate texture and gentle warmth from almond flour and cinnamon, with lemon zest adding a fresh note. Pay attention to its feel as you work: keeping the dough cool makes the scalloped edges and little windows easier to cut cleanly.
What gives these cookies their flavor and texture
All-purpose flour provides structure, while fine almond flour brings a tender, buttery quality to the cookies. Ground cinnamon adds warmth without overpowering the raspberry, and finely grated lemon zest gives the dough a light citrus aroma. Vanilla powder rounds out the flavor alongside the butter and sugar.
Softened unsalted butter should beat smoothly with the granulated sugar until creamy. The egg yolk helps bring the mixture together, and the flour mixture should be added only until a soft dough forms. Mixing beyond that point can make the cookies less tender, so stop when the dough is cohesive rather than continuing to beat it.
Keep the dough easy to roll and cut
Chilling the dough firms it after mixing, which makes it easier to roll evenly between parchment sheets. Work with one disk at a time and keep the other chilled. Aim for an even thickness across the dough so the cookies bake at a similar pace and fit together neatly when assembled.
Cut the scalloped rounds first, then make a small heart or circle in half of them. The cutout tops are delicate, so handle them gently when moving them to the lined baking sheets. If the dough starts to soften during rolling or cutting, refrigerate it briefly before continuing. This helps the cookies hold their shapes in the oven.
Assemble neat jam-filled sandwiches
The cookies are ready when their edges are lightly golden. Let them cool completely on the baking sheets before adding powdered sugar or jam; warm cookies can be fragile, and the sugar can disappear into their surface.
Dust the cutout tops with powdered sugar before placing them over the jam. Spread the raspberry jam on the whole rounds, keeping it within the cookie so it does not squeeze out when you press the tops gently into place. The window makes it easy to see the bright filling and helps each sandwich look polished.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the dough chilled before rolling?
Chilling firms the soft dough, making it easier to roll and cut without losing the scalloped edges. If it becomes soft while you work, return it to the refrigerator briefly so the rounds and cutout tops keep their shape.
How do I know when the cookies are baked?
Look for lightly golden edges. The cookies should cool completely on their baking sheets before you add powdered sugar or assemble them, since warm rounds are delicate and the sugar may not remain visible.
When should I add the powdered sugar and raspberry jam?
After the cookies have cooled, dust the cutout tops with powdered sugar and spread raspberry jam on the whole rounds. Then set a sugared top over each filled round and press gently so the jam shows through the opening.
Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy18
cookies40
minutes20
minutes240
kcal2
hours20
minutesThese buttery almond cookies are filled with raspberry jam and finished with powdered sugar. Cutouts in the tops let the bright filling show through.
Ingredients
- Cookie dough
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup fine almond flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla powder
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- Filling and finishing
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Directions
- Make the dough
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk, vanilla powder, and lemon zest. Add the flour mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Chill and cut
- Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 60 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F. Working with one disk at a time, roll the dough between sheets of parchment to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut 36 scalloped rounds with a 2-inch cutter. Cut a small heart or circle from the center of half the rounds. Reroll scraps as needed, and place the cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake
- Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 10 minutes each, until the edges are lightly golden. Let them cool completely on the sheets, about 20 minutes.
- Fill and finish
- Dust the tops with powdered sugar. Spread about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam on each whole cookie, then place a cutout cookie on top and press gently to make 18 sandwiches.
Notes
- If the dough softens while rolling or cutting, refrigerate it briefly so the cookies hold their shape.
