Linzer Cookies with Raspberry Filling are a delightful treat that combines crumbly, buttery cookies with a tangy-sweet filling. These Austrian classics are perfect for holiday gatherings or any occasion that calls for a touch of elegance.
Butter: The foundation of a tender cookie, providing richness and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Make sure it's softened for easy creaming with sugar.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps create that light, airy texture when creamed with butter.
Egg yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the dough together. It also contributes to the beautiful golden color.
Vanilla extract: Elevates the flavor profile, adding warmth and aroma to the cookies.
All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cookies, balancing out the softness provided by the butter.
Almond flour: Provides a subtle nutty flavor and a slightly denser texture, which is characteristic of Linzer cookies.
Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients, preventing the cookies from tasting flat.
Raspberry jam: The star filling, offering a sweet-tart contrast to the rich cookie. Choose a good quality jam for the best results.
Powdered sugar: Used for dusting, it adds a touch of sweetness and a beautiful finishing touch to the cookies.
Linzer Cookies pair beautifully with a glass of cold milk or a cup of Earl Grey tea. They also make a stunning addition to a holiday cookie platter, offering a pop of color and a different flavor profile.
Start by creaming together the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes and is crucial for achieving the right cookie texture.
Next, add the egg yolk and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat them in until you see no streaks of egg yolk and everything looks smooth and well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to your wet mixture. Mix until just combined. Overmixing can make your cookies tough, so stop as soon as the dough comes together.
Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a disc. Wrap these in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. This step is important for making the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies hold their shape during baking.
Once your dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disc to about 1/8 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. For half of them, use a smaller cutter to cut out the centers. This will become the top of your Linzer cookies.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about an inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden. Keep an eye on them, as they can go from perfect to overdone quickly.
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. This is important because if the cookies are even slightly warm, the jam will become too runny.
Once cooled, spread a layer of raspberry jam on the bottom cookies and sandwich them with the top cookies that have holes. Finish by dusting with powdered sugar for that classic Linzer cookie look.