Description
Raspberry Linzer Cookies are delicate sandwich cookies featuring a tender almond-scented dough filled with sweet raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Perfect for festive occasions or a sweet treat any time, these cookies combine a buttery texture with fruity brightness and a beautiful presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Linzer Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar 133g
- 1 egg yolk 25g
- 2 tsp almond extract (optional) 8g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250g
- 2/3 cup superfine almond meal or almond flour 67g
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch 8g
- 1/4 tsp fine salt 2g
Filling & Decorations
- 2 cups raspberry jam 640g
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar 30g
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, beat 1 cup butter and 2/3 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes until lighter in color.
- Add Flavorings: Mix in 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp almond extract, and 1 tsp vanilla extract on medium speed until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Whisk together 2 cups flour, 2/3 cup almond flour, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp salt in a separate bowl.
- Mix Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture on low speed and mix just until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed to fully combine.
- Chill Dough: Divide dough into two portions, flatten each to about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) about 30 minutes before rolling out dough; line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.
- Roll Out Dough: Remove one dough portion, unwrap, and roll between floured plastic wrap to 1/8 inch thickness, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Cut Cookies: Cut 1 1/2-inch scalloped rounds. Use a smaller 3/4-inch cutter to cut centers out of half the cookies; save scraps for later.
- Arrange for Baking: Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets, as they will spread slightly.
- Bake Cookies: Bake one sheet at a time for 10 minutes on the middle rack, removing before edges brown.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 15 minutes then transfer to racks to cool completely.
- Re-chill and Repeat: Knead dough scraps, wrap, and chill; repeat rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining dough and scraps.
- Decorate and Fill: Dust the top cookies (with cut-outs) generously with powdered sugar, spread 2 tsp raspberry jam on bottom cookies, and sandwich together, pressing gently to spread jam into cut-outs.
- Store: Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 48 sandwich cookies using a 1 1/2-inch cutter. Larger cookies require longer baking (about 1 extra minute for 3-inch cutters).
- The dough can be halved or doubled; for half batches use half an egg yolk. Unused dough freezes well for up to 1 month.
- Filled cookies keep at room temperature for 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month with parchment between layers.
- Unfilled baked cookies also freeze well for up to 1 month. Fill and dust after thawing.
- Chilling dough before rolling helps prevent spreading and makes cutting easier.
- Do not overwork dough to avoid tough cookies; roll evenly to 1/8 inch for consistent baking.
- Try other fillings such as strawberry jam, lemon curd, or orange marmalade for different flavors.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cookies
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
