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Nothing says “holiday baking” quite like a batch of classic Linzer Cookies! With their buttery almond shortbread and shiny jam centers, they’re perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday dessert trays, or simply pairing with a cozy drink and a good book. These cookies look fancy, but they are easy to make, and even easier to fall in love with!
A Holiday Classic That Never Fails to Impress
Every holiday season, I look forward to making these classic Linzer Cookies. I love cutting out those little “windows,” spooning in the jam, and watching the powdered sugar fall like snow over the tops. They’re the kind of cookie that makes your kitchen smell like Christmas and your cookie trays look instantly festive. Whether you’re baking them for a cookie exchange, gifting them to friends and neighbors, or simply enjoying one (or three!) with a cup of cocoa, these beautiful little cookies never fail to impress!
Need some variety for your Christmas charcuterie board or dessert gift plate? Be sure to check out our other delicious Christmas cookie recipes for some festive inspiration!
❤️ Kelsey
What are Linzer cookies?
These cookies have a pretty sweet origin story…literally! Linzer Cookies come from Linz, Austria, and were inspired by the famous Linzer Torte, a jam-filled pastry that’s been around since the 1700s. Somewhere along the way, bakers decided to shrink that torte down into bite-sized cookies with a cute little “window” on top. And we’ve been obsessed ever since!
What You’ll Need to Make Linzer Cookies
- Butter – Use unsalted butter for a rich, buttery flavor. Good quality butter really makes a difference here.
- Sugar
- Lemon Zest
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract – Just a small amount adds that signature nutty aroma Linzer cookies are known for. Don’t skip it!
- Egg Yolk – Make sure it’s at room temperature before mixing.
- All-Purpose Flour – For best results, spoon and level your flour to avoid adding too much.
- Almond Flour – Use super-fine almond flour (not almond meal) for the best results.
- Salt
- Powdered Sugar
- Seedless Raspberry Jam or Lemon Curd – Raspberry jam is the classic choice, but lemon curd, apricot jam, or even chocolate ganache make fun and delicious variations!
Flavors and Fillings
Fill your cookie with anything you’d like! Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Nutella
- Peanut butter
- Cookie butter
- Caramel
- Apricot jam
- Strawberry jam
- Chocolate ganache
- Cream or custard
How to Make Linzer Cookies
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer), beat the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until light and creamy.
- Add the Wet Ingredients: Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined.
- Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, and salt.
- Form the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll and Cut: Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough disc to about ⅙-inch thick. Cut out cookie rounds (about 2-2½ inches), re-rolling scraps as needed.
- Cut Out the Tops: Repeat with the second dough disc, but use a small cutter or piping tip to cut a small center hole in each top cookie. Chill both trays of cutouts for 10–15 minutes before baking.
- Bake and Cool: Bake cookies (bottoms and tops) for 12–15 minutes, or until edges are just golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Dust and Fill: Dust the tops (the cookies with holes) with powdered sugar. Spread about ½ teaspoon of jam or lemon curd onto each bottom cookie.
- Assemble and Set: Gently sandwich the tops and bottoms together. Let cookies rest for 10–15 minutes so the jam can set before serving.
Recipe Tip
Let the filled and topped cookies sit for about 15 minutes to allow them to fully sandwich together.
Storing Leftover Cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they can be frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw overnight and enjoy.
They are named after the town they originated in – Linz, Austria.
Raspberry jam is classic, but you can use any thick, seedless jam (like strawberry, apricot, or even lemon curd). Just avoid very runny jams, as they can make the cookies soggy.
This usually happens if the dough is too warm. Be sure to chill the dough before rolling and again after cutting out the cookies to help them hold their shape while baking.
Make sure the cookies are completely cool before adding the jam. You can also lightly dust the bottom cookie with powdered sugar before spreading the jam (it acts as a barrier to moisture).
Use a small cookie cutter or the wide end of a piping tip, and chill the dough slightly before cutting to get clean, sharp edges.
Read Next: Christmas Cookie Ideas
More Christmas Cookies
These Linzer Cookies are a classic holiday favorite that’s sure to be the star of your cookie plate! They are elegant, fun to make, and full of sweet, jammy goodness that everyone will enjoy. I would love to hear how your batch turns out, so leave a comment and a ⭐️ rating to share the holiday joy! 🎄
Linzer Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons butter, cold, sliced
- 1/2 cup sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- powdered sugar, for dusting
- raspberry jam, seedless
- lemon curd
Instructions
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, sugar, and lemon zest together until creamy.
- Add egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix to combine.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, almond flour, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pat dough into two equal sized discs and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. After an hour, let one dough ball sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes to soften a little. Preheat oven to 350.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/6" thick and then cut out cookies (about 2-2 ½ inches). You should be able to get about 15 cookies out of the dough. Gather the scraps and re-roll if needed. If dough becomes too sticky while working, stick it back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Place cut out cookies on a baking sheet and put it in the fridge.
- Repeat the last step with the second dough ball, but before refrigerating use a small cookie cutter or the larger end of a piping tip to cut out a small hole from the middle of each cookie.
- Bake the first tray of cookies for 12-15 minutes or until the edges just barely turn golden brown. Let cool completely.
- Repeat with the second tray.
- Once the cookies are cooled, dust the tops (the cookies with the holes in the middle) with powdered sugar.
- Spoon a small amount (about ½ teaspoon) of either jam or curd on to the middle of the bottoms.
- Sandwich the tops and bottoms together and let sit for a few minutes so they can fully sandwich together.
Equipment
- cookie cutters
Notes
- Get creative with the shapes! Use squares or holiday shapes to create fun and unique cookies.
- If using jam or preserves, try to use a seedless variety.
- Make your own jams and curds for an even tastier homemade cookie.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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