The Ultimate Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies Recipe: A Festive and Elegant Treat
Step into the world of delicate, delightful, and utterly delicious confections with these exquisite raspberry almond Linzer cookies. Perfectly combining a tender, nutty shortbread base with a vibrant, fruity filling, these cookies are a feast for both the eyes and the palate. They are crafted by artfully sandwiching two almond-flavored shortbread cut-outs around a luscious layer of raspberry jam, often featuring a charming “window” on the top cookie that reveals the glistening jam beneath. Whether you’re seeking a show-stopping dessert for Valentine’s Day, a festive addition to your Christmas cookie spread, or simply a sophisticated treat for any day of the year, these Linzer cookies are an impeccable choice.
If you’re searching for a cookie that truly impresses, these Linzers are undeniably it! Their intricate appearance and irresistible flavor make them stand out from the crowd. Not only do they taste absolutely amazing with their harmonious blend of rich almond, zesty lemon, and sweet-tart raspberry, but they are also incredibly beautiful and possess a unique charm. The distinctive flavor profile sets them apart from more common cookie varieties, making them a fantastic conversation starter at any gathering.
For holidays, special occasions like bridal showers, birthday parties, or even an elegant afternoon tea, these raspberry almond Linzer cookies are one of my absolute favorite go-to recipes. Their elegant presentation and delightful taste guarantee they will be a hit with everyone. What’s more, their versatility allows for easy customization. You can effortlessly change the cookie cutters to suit any theme, occasion, or holiday, and even experiment with different jam flavors or fillings to create an endless array of looks and taste combinations!
Table of Contents
- What Are Linzer Cookies?
- Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Raspberry Linzer Cookies
- Essential Baking Tips for Perfect Linzer Cookies
- Substitutions and Variations
- More Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Get the Full Recipe
What Are Linzer Cookies?
Linzer cookies are a delightful adaptation of the famous Linzer Torte, a traditional and iconic dessert hailing from Austria. The original Linzer Torte is a truly ancient pastry, believed to be one of the oldest cakes in the world, with recipes dating back to the 17th century. It typically consists of a rich, buttery pastry crust flavored with ground nuts (often almonds or hazelnuts) and a hint of lemon zest. This pastry forms the bottom layer, which is then generously spread with a vibrant layer of fruit jam (traditionally redcurrant, but raspberry is also very popular). The top is famously adorned with a lattice pattern made from the same nut-flavored pastry, revealing glimpses of the beautiful jam beneath.
Linzer cookies encapsulate the essence and flavor profile of their larger counterpart but are presented in a charming, individual cookie form. They feature the same key ingredients: a tender, shortbread-like dough enriched with ground almonds and brightened with lemon zest. Instead of a lattice, one cookie is usually cut with a small shape (like a heart, star, or circle) from its center, acting as a “window” for the jam. These two cookie halves are then sandwiched together with a layer of fruit preserve, creating an elegant and irresistible treat that beautifully mirrors the flavors of the classic torte in a handheld format.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
There are countless reasons why these Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies will quickly become a cherished favorite in your baking repertoire:
- Elegance and Presentation: With their delicate powdered sugar dusting and the peek-a-boo jam filling, these cookies are incredibly sophisticated and make a stunning presentation on any dessert table.
- Exquisite Flavor Combination: The rich, buttery almond shortbread pairs perfectly with the bright, sweet-tart raspberry jam and subtle lemon zest. It’s a classic combination that’s both comforting and gourmet.
- Versatile for Any Occasion: While they are iconic for Christmas and Valentine’s Day, you can easily adapt their shapes for birthdays, bridal showers, Easter, or simply as an everyday indulgence.
- Gift-Worthy: Packaged in a beautiful box, these cookies make a thoughtful and impressive homemade gift for friends, family, or hosts.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: The dough can be prepared and chilled for several days, or even frozen, making them perfect for busy bakers who like to plan ahead.
- Enjoyable Baking Process: While they look elaborate, the steps are straightforward and rewarding, especially when you see the final beautiful results.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Crafting the perfect Linzer cookie starts with quality ingredients. Here’s a brief overview of the key components and why they matter:
- Slivered Almonds or Almond Flour: These provide the distinctive nutty flavor and delicate texture. Slivered almonds, when ground finely, yield a pale, superfine almond meal ideal for a smooth dough. If using pre-ground almond flour, ensure it’s finely milled.
- All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of our shortbread, providing structure.
- Unsalted Butter: Essential for a rich, tender, and flavorful shortbread. Ensure it’s softened to room temperature for proper creaming with sugar.
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and contributes to their crisp texture.
- Egg: Acts as a binder, adding moisture and richness to the dough.
- Vanilla and Almond Extracts: These amplify the flavor profile, with almond extract especially enhancing the nuttiness.
- Lemon Zest: A crucial ingredient that brightens the entire cookie with its aromatic citrus notes, cutting through the richness.
- Seedless Raspberry Jam: The star of the filling! Seedless jam ensures a smooth, elegant finish. Its vibrant color and sweet-tartness are perfect.
- Powdered Sugar: For a beautiful, snowy dusting that adds a touch of sweetness and visual appeal to the finished cookies.
Gathering your ingredients beforehand, often called “mise en place,” will make the baking process much smoother and more enjoyable. Ensure your butter is at room temperature and your eggs are not straight from the fridge for optimal mixing results.
How to Make Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Creating these beautiful Linzer cookies is a rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps for the best results:
- Prepare Almond Meal (if not using almond flour): If you’re starting with whole or slivered almonds, you’ll need to pulse them in a food processor until they are uniformly and finely ground. Be careful not to over-process, or you’ll end up with almond butter! For the best results and a super-fine, pale almond meal, use slivered almonds, as their skins have already been removed. Whole or sliced almonds still have their skins intact, which can result in a coarser, darker meal.
- Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture is light, fluffy, and creamy. This creaming process incorporates air, which contributes to the cookies’ tender texture. Next, beat in the large egg, both vanilla and almond extracts, and the fresh lemon zest until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Finally, gradually add the all-purpose flour, your prepared almond flour (or almond meal), and a pinch of salt. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are just incorporated into the wet, being careful not to overmix, which can lead to tough cookies.
Creaming butter and sugar, a crucial step for tender cookies. - Chill the Cookie Dough: Gently gather the dough and shape it into a flat disk (or two disks for easier handling). Wrap the disk tightly with plastic wrap, ensuring no air can get in. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour, or up to several days. This chilling step is crucial as it allows the butter to firm up, making the dough much easier to roll out and preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. The cookie dough also freezes exceptionally well! Double wrap and seal it thoroughly, and it can be stored in the freezer for up to a month or more. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before proceeding with the recipe.
- Roll Out and Cut into Shapes: Once the dough is properly chilled, lightly flour your work surface and your rolling pin. Roll out the cookie dough evenly to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Use your chosen cookie cutters to make your desired shapes – hearts are popular for Valentine’s Day, but circles, stars, or festive shapes are also wonderful. For half of your cut-outs, use a smaller cookie cutter (a mini heart, circle, or star) to create a “window” in the center of each. This window is where the beautiful jam filling will peek through after assembly, adding to the visual appeal and making them truly special!
Rolling and cutting the delicate Linzer cookie dough. - Bake the Cookies: Carefully transfer your cookie cut-outs to a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes, or until their edges are just barely starting to turn golden brown. Keep a close eye on them, as over-baking can make them dry. Note: The cookie cut-outs with windows (the tops) might bake slightly faster due to less mass, so it’s often best to bake them on a separate tray or remove them a minute or two earlier if baking with the solid bottoms.
- Fill with Raspberry Jam and Dust with Powdered Sugar: Once baked, allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. While they cool, gently warm your seedless raspberry jam over low heat if it’s too thick, or if you need to strain it to remove any remaining seeds for a super smooth finish. Take the solid-bottom cookies, flip them upside down, and top each with a small spoonful of raspberry jam, spreading it evenly but not too close to the edges. Next, dust the tops of the windowed cookies generously with powdered sugar using a fine mesh sieve. Carefully place these powdered sugar-dusted tops onto the jam-covered bottom cookies, pressing lightly to sandwich them together. To avoid smudging the powdered sugar, handle the top cookies gently by their edges.
- Enjoy!: These exquisite Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies look their absolute best and taste most vibrant when served fresh. However, they will keep beautifully in an airtight container on the counter for several days. For longer storage, you can freeze the baked, un-sandwiched cookie halves in a single layer in ziplock bags or an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw them completely at room temperature before filling and assembling.
baking tip:Essential Baking Tips for Perfect Linzer Cookies
Achieving perfectly uniform and tender Linzer cookies requires a few key techniques, especially when handling the delicate dough. Here are some invaluable tips for rolling out and baking your cookie dough:
- Pre-Chill Dough into Disks: Before chilling, shape your cookie dough into a disk about 1 inch thick. If you have a larger batch, divide it into two smaller disks. Flat disks chill more evenly and are much easier to roll out right away than a large, irregular lump of dough.
- Rest Chilled Dough: Don’t roll your dough straight from the fridge. Let the chilled dough rest at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before attempting to roll it. This slight warming will make the dough more pliable, reducing cracking and making it easier to work with.
- Flour Your Work Surface Generously: Ensure your work surface and rolling pin are adequately floured to prevent the delicate dough from sticking. A silicone baking mat can also be a great non-stick surface.
- Prevent Sticking While Rolling: As you roll out the dough, occasionally lift and turn it. This ensures it’s not sticking to the surface underneath and helps you roll it evenly. A thin, flexible bench scraper can be very useful for gently unsticking dough if it adheres.
- Maximize Your Cutouts: Cut shapes as close together as possible on the rolled-out dough to minimize scraps. This reduces the number of times you have to re-roll the dough, which can make it tougher.
- Handle Scraps Carefully: Gather all dough scraps together and gently knead them into a ball. Avoid overworking the dough. Shape it into a disk, wrap it, and chill for at least 20 minutes before re-rolling and cutting. This brief chill helps the gluten relax.
- Combat Spreading: If you’re concerned about your cut cookies spreading in the oven (especially in warmer kitchens), place the sheet pan with the cut-out cookies into the freezer for 10-15 minutes before baking. This helps solidify the butter, leading to crisper edges and better-defined shapes.
Substitutions and Variations
The beauty of Linzer cookies lies in their adaptability. While these heart-shaped cookies are perfectly dressed for Valentine’s Day, you can easily customize them to suit any holiday or personal preference. Let your creativity shine!
Shape Variations:
Change your cookie cutters to match the season or occasion. Some popular ideas include:
- Circles or Squares: Classic and elegant for any time.
- Christmas Trees, Stars, Bells, or Snowflakes: Perfect for a festive Christmas platter.
- Leaves or Pumpkins: Ideal for autumn and Thanksgiving.
- Flowers or Butterflies: Wonderful for spring gatherings or Mother’s Day.
- Animals or Cartoon Characters: A fun choice for children’s parties.
Other Filling Suggestions:
While raspberry jam is traditional and delightful, don’t hesitate to experiment with different fillings to create unique flavor profiles. Consider these delicious alternatives:
- Other Fruit Preserves or Jam:
- Blackberry: Offers a deeper, slightly more tart flavor.
- Strawberry: A classic sweet and fruity choice, loved by many.
- Apricot: Provides a wonderfully sweet and slightly tangy contrast, with a beautiful golden hue.
- Cherry: A rich and intense fruity option.
- Blueberry: Sweet and subtly earthy, a great alternative.
- Lemon Curd: For a bright, zesty, and tangy burst of flavor that beautifully complements the almond shortbread.
- Chocolate Ganache or Nutella: For the chocolate lovers! A rich, creamy chocolate filling adds decadence and warmth.
- Dulce de Leche: A sweet, caramelized milk spread that offers a rich and unique flavor, perfect for a gourmet twist.
- Orange Marmalade: For a slightly bitter, sophisticated citrus note.
Dough Variations:
You can also subtly alter the shortbread dough for different flavor profiles:
- Citrus Zest: Replace lemon zest with orange zest for a warmer, sweeter citrus note, or lime zest for a brighter, more pungent aroma.
- Spices: Add a pinch of ground cinnamon, cardamom, or even a tiny amount of nutmeg to the dough for a more spiced, holiday-like flavor.
- Nut Substitution: While almond is classic for Linzers, you can experiment with finely ground hazelnuts (for a more traditional Linzer Torte flavor), walnuts, or pecans in the dough.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed making these Linzer cookies and are looking for more baking adventures, here are some other fantastic cookie recipes to try. Each offers a unique flavor and baking experience, perfect for expanding your repertoire!
Get the Full Recipe
Ready to bake your own batch of these irresistible Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies? Below you’ll find the complete, printable recipe card with precise measurements and detailed instructions. Happy baking!
Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies
Pin Recipe
Leave a Review
Ingredients
- 1 cup (110 grams) slivered almonds , OR 1 cup (95 grams) almond flour
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Powdered sugar , for dusting
- ½ cup (170 grams) seedless raspberry jam , see Notes
Instructions
-
If not using almond flour, pulse slivered almonds in a food processor until uniformly finely ground into an almond meal. Set aside.
-
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, your prepared almond meal (or almond flour), and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
-
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale (about 2-3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the large egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest. Beat on low speed until just combined and smooth.
-
Gradually add the reserved flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until the flour is just incorporated and a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour (and up to several days) until firm. You can also double wrap and store it in the freezer for up to a month or more; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
-
When you are ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
-
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an even thickness of approximately ¼ inch. Use your desired cookie cutters (e.g., hearts) to cut out shapes. For half of these cutouts, use a smaller cookie cutter to create a “window” in the center (these will be your top cookies). Gently gather any dough scraps, press them together, chill briefly, and re-roll.
-
Carefully place the cookie cutouts onto the prepared baking sheets. It is best to bake the solid bottom cookies on one sheet pan and the windowed top cookies on another, as the windowed cookies may bake slightly faster. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Do not overbake, as this will make them dry. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
-
While the cookies are cooling, gently warm the seedless raspberry jam in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring until it reaches a smooth, spreadable, lump-free consistency. If your jam is already thin and smooth, you can skip this step. If it contains seeds and you prefer a completely seedless jam, you can warm it slightly and then press it through a fine-mesh sieve.
-
Once the cookies are completely cool, prepare for assembly. Use a fine-mesh strainer to generously sprinkle powdered sugar over the top cookies (the ones with the windows). Turn the solid bottom cookies upside down and place a small spoonful of the warmed raspberry jam onto the center of each, spreading it evenly but leaving a small border. Carefully place a powdered sugar-dusted top cookie over the jam-covered bottom, aligning the edges and pressing lightly to sandwich them together. Handle the top cookies by their edges to avoid smudging the powdered sugar.
-
Serve immediately for the best fresh taste and appearance. Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for several days. Enjoy your beautiful and delicious Raspberry Almond Linzer Cookies!
Video
Notes
- Almond Selection: Slivered almonds are highly recommended because their skins have been removed. When ground, they produce a superfine, pale almond meal that results in a more delicate cookie texture and lighter color compared to whole or sliced almonds with skins.
- Seedless Jam: To ensure a perfectly smooth and elegant filling, if your raspberry jam contains seeds, you can easily remove them. Gently warm the jam over low heat to thin it out slightly, then press it through a fine-mesh strainer. Discard the seeds.
- This recipe was originally published in February 2018 and has been adapted from Joy of Baking.