Linzer Cookies
Almond sandwich cookies with raspberry windows and sugar dust, stacked for Christmas dessert trays.
Updated: Oct 7, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 1 hr 10 min.
- Serves 24 — easy to halve or double.
- Medium level — everyday equipment only.
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
This Linzer Cookies recipe takes 1 hr 10 min and makes 24 servings. Linzer cookies bring European bakery style to USA Christmas trays, pairing tender almond shortbread with bright raspberry jam windows under a dusting of powdered sugar.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Whisk both flours with cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Almond flour adds tenderness but burns faster than wheat flour, so accurate oven heat matters. Set the dry mixture aside within reach while creaming the butter and sugar until light.
Beat the butter with granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest, beating until smooth. Proper creaming keeps the cookies tender enough to bite cleanly while still holding the cutout window shape.
Add the dry mixture on low speed just until a soft dough forms, stopping when no streaks remain. Divide into two disks, wrap tightly, and chill at least 1 hour until firm. Cold dough cuts sharply; warm dough stretches, blurs the windows, and sticks to cutters.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment. Roll one disk on a lightly floured surface to 0.25 inch thick, keeping the other chilled. Cut equal numbers of bases and windowed tops, re-chilling scraps 10 minutes before re-rolling for clean edges.
Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes until edges turn light gold while centers stay pale. Delicate tops brown faster, so watch closely after 9 minutes. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move carefully with a thin spatula to a rack.
Dust only the windowed tops with powdered sugar while warm. Spread 1 teaspoon of jam on each base, keeping it inside the edges, then set a sugared top in place. Press lightly to seal.
Rest 30 minutes so the jam grips before stacking for trays.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the windows blur or stick, the dough warmed up during cutting. Chill cut shapes on the sheet 10 minutes before baking, flour cutters lightly, and roll to an even 0.25 inch. Warm almond dough turns oily and loses sharp cutout edges quickly.
- If the tops break when moved, they were transferred too soon or rolled too thin. Cool 5 minutes on the sheet, slide a thin spatula fully under each cookie, and keep thickness at 0.25 inch. Small windows near edges crack more than centered cutouts.
- If the jam squeezes out, too much was spread or it reached the rim. Use 1 teaspoon per cookie, leave a clean border, and press tops gently. Thin jelly leaks more than thick seedless jam; stir jam smooth but do not thin it with water.
- If the sandwich slides apart, it was stacked before the jam set. Rest assembled cookies 30 minutes at room temperature so jam grips both layers. Dust tops before assembly, since sugar after sandwiching clouds the jam window and looks uneven.
Make it your way
- Serving with rice or naan: For a citrus version, fill with lemon curd and serve within 2 days so the filling stays bright and firm.
- For hazelnut linzers, replace almond flour with finely ground toasted hazelnuts in equal measure and fill with chocolate hazelnut spread.
- Use apricot or blackberry jam for color variety with the same method and timing.
- Cut star or heart windows for Christmas shapes, keeping the dough chilled between batches.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Freeze baked unfilled shapes up to 2 months; thaw, then fill and dust fresh.
FAQ
Can I use all-purpose flour only?
Yes, but the flavor turns plainer and the texture crisper. Replace the almond flour with 1 more cup of all-purpose flour and add 0.5 teaspoon of almond extract with the vanilla. Chill and bake the same way at 350 degrees, watching edges since wheat-only dough browns a bit faster.
How do I keep cutouts sharp?
Keep everything cold: chill the dough 1 hour, roll quickly, and chill cut shapes 10 minutes before baking. Use metal cutters with sharp edges, dip them in flour, and press straight down without twisting. Re-chill scraps before re-rolling so second batches look as neat as the first.
Can I make linzers ahead for gifts?
Yes. Bake the shapes up to 2 days ahead and store airtight unfilled, then fill and dust the day of packing. Assembled cookies hold 4 days at room temperature. For mailing, sandwich firmly, rest 1 hour, and pack single-layer in rigid tins with parchment padding.