Linzer Cookies
Makes about 30 - 2 inch (5 cm) sandwiched cookies.
1 cup (110 grams) blanched or sliced almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans,
toasted and ground
2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (227 grams) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
Zest of 1 lemon
Confectioners' (Icing or Powdered) Sugar for dusting
1/2 cup seedless Raspberry or Black Currant Preserves or Jam (you can
use other flavored preserves or jam).
Makes about 30 - 2 inch (5 cm) sandwiched cookies.
1 cup (110 grams) blanched or sliced almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans,
toasted and ground
2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (227 grams) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
Zest of 1 lemon
Confectioners' (Icing or Powdered) Sugar for dusting
1/2 cup seedless Raspberry or Black Currant Preserves or Jam (you can
use other flavored preserves or jam).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Toast the almonds or pecans on a
baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes (or until lightly browned and fragrant). Toast the hazelnuts for 15 minutes (See Note
below for information on toasting hazelnuts). Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Once the nuts have cooled,
place in a food processor and process with 1/4 cup (50 grams) of the sugar from the recipe until finely ground. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy
(approximately 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Beat in the ground nuts. Add the flour
mixture beating just until incorporated. Divide the dough in half and shape into two rectangles about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick.
Wrap the two rectangles of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour and up to several days).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment
paper and set aside.
Remove one rectangle of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch (1
cm) thick. Using a 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cookie cutter (round, square, heart, teapot, etc.) cut out the dough. Place the
cookies about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart on the prepared pan. Use a smaller cookie cutter (3/4 - 1 inch (2.54 cm)) to cut out the
centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. (You will be sandwiching two cookies together and there will be a small
'window or cut out' in the top cookie so you can see the jam that will be underneath.)
Reroll any scraps and cut out the cookies. Remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and roll and cut out the rest
of the cookies. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are very lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a
wire rack to cool.
While the cookies are cooling place the raspberry jam in a small saucepan and heat gently until it has thickened slightly. Strain if
there are any lumps in the jam. Let cool.
To Assemble Cookies: Place the cookies with the cut-outs on a wire rack and lightly dust the tops with the confectioners'
(powdered or icing) sugar.
On the bottom surface of the full cookie (top of cookie will face out) spread a little (about 1/4 teaspoon) of the jam. Place the
cut-out cookie on top and gently sandwich them together, making sure not to smug the confectioners' sugar. Using a small
spoon, fill the cut-out with a little more jam.
Note: You can store the unassembled cookies for several days in an airtight container. It is best to assemble the cookies the
same day as serving.
baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes (or until lightly browned and fragrant). Toast the hazelnuts for 15 minutes (See Note
below for information on toasting hazelnuts). Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Once the nuts have cooled,
place in a food processor and process with 1/4 cup (50 grams) of the sugar from the recipe until finely ground. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and remaining sugar until light and fluffy
(approximately 3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract, egg yolks, and lemon zest. Beat in the ground nuts. Add the flour
mixture beating just until incorporated. Divide the dough in half and shape into two rectangles about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) thick.
Wrap the two rectangles of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (at least one hour and up to several days).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment
paper and set aside.
Remove one rectangle of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch (1
cm) thick. Using a 2 to 3 inch (5 to 7.5 cm) cookie cutter (round, square, heart, teapot, etc.) cut out the dough. Place the
cookies about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart on the prepared pan. Use a smaller cookie cutter (3/4 - 1 inch (2.54 cm)) to cut out the
centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. (You will be sandwiching two cookies together and there will be a small
'window or cut out' in the top cookie so you can see the jam that will be underneath.)
Reroll any scraps and cut out the cookies. Remove the other half of the dough from the refrigerator and roll and cut out the rest
of the cookies. Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are very lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on a
wire rack to cool.
While the cookies are cooling place the raspberry jam in a small saucepan and heat gently until it has thickened slightly. Strain if
there are any lumps in the jam. Let cool.
To Assemble Cookies: Place the cookies with the cut-outs on a wire rack and lightly dust the tops with the confectioners'
(powdered or icing) sugar.
On the bottom surface of the full cookie (top of cookie will face out) spread a little (about 1/4 teaspoon) of the jam. Place the
cut-out cookie on top and gently sandwich them together, making sure not to smug the confectioners' sugar. Using a small
spoon, fill the cut-out with a little more jam.
Note: You can store the unassembled cookies for several days in an airtight container. It is best to assemble the cookies the
same day as serving.
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