Easy cut-out Linzer Cookies that can be ready to eat in one hour.
Ingredients
- 175 grams (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cold, roughly chopped
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, cold
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 245 grams (1 and 3/4 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 75 grams (3/4 cup) almond meal (see notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
To decorate
- 85 grams (1/3 cup) raspberry jam (see notes)
- Icing sugar or powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Line two large baking trays or cookie sheets with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add butter and sugar. Start to mix on low speed. It’ll take a few minutes for your butter to soften, but eventually it’ll come together.
- Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat just until your butter and sugar are combined and smooth. There shouldn’t be any lumps of butter. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add egg, almond extract and vanilla. Mix briefly on low speed to combine.
- Finally, add the flour, almond meal, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix on low speed until a soft, but thick cookie dough forms. It may seem dry and crumbly at first, but just keep mixing and it’ll slowly come together.
- Shape the cookie dough into a large round disc using your hands. Then cut it in half. Cover one half of the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until you are ready to roll it.
- Place a large sheet of baking or parchment paper on your bench. Put the remaining cookie dough disc on top. Place another sheet of baking or parchment paper on top of the cookie dough. Roll out the dough until it’s approximately 0.6cm (1/4 inch) thick.
- Lightly dust a 6.5cm (approximately 2.5 inch) fluted or round cookie cutter in flour and then cut out cookies and carefully transfer them to your prepared trays. These will become the bottoms of your cookie sandwiches. You can re-roll the excess dough twice and cut out more cookies. If at any point, the cookie dough gets too soft to cut, pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes and try again.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they’re just starting to go golden on the edges. Remember the cookies will firm up as they cool. Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, roll out the remaining dough until it’s approximately 0.6cm (1/4 inch) thick. Lightly dust a 6.5cm (approximately 2.5 inches) fluted or round cookie cutter and then cut out cookies and carefully transfer them to your prepared trays. These will become the tops of your cookie sandwiches. You can re-roll the excess dough twice and cut out more cookies. If at any point, the cookie dough gets too soft to cut, pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes and try again.
- Now you’ll want to cut out the middle of each cookie, using a small cookie cutter (roughly 2cm or 0.75 inch wide). You can discard the middle pieces of dough or bake them as little extra cookies.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are just starting to go golden on the edges. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To assemble, turn the first batch of cookies over and generously smear jam on the cookies leaving a small rim around the edges.
- Sift the icing sugar over the tops of the cookies (that have the holes cut out of them), then place them on top of the jam-covered cookies.
Notes
Cold butter: If you find the cold butter too hard to work with (a stand mixer comes in handy here), you can absolutely follow this recipe using softened butter. You will likely need to chill your dough for 30 minutes before rolling and cutting it out.
Almond extract: The almond extract works so beautifully in these cookies. However, you can leave it out if you prefer or add a touch more vanilla instead.
Almond meal: Almond meal is made from ground almonds with their skin on. Almond flour is made from blanched or skinless almonds. I have tested this recipe using almond meal but you can use almond flour if that’s what you have at home.
Raspberry jam: I’ve chosen to fill these using raspberry jam, however you can really choose any jam or preserve you like. Strawberries, apricot or even lemon curd would work wonderfully well.
Storage: Keep filled cookies in an airight container at room temperature. They keep well for a few days – and are even nicer on day two!
Make-ahead instructions: You can easily make the biscuit dough ahead of time. Simply wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Bring it back to room temperature before rolling and continuing from step 7 in the recipe card below. You can also roll out the dough and cut out the cookies. Place them on oven trays and pop them in the fridge for up to 24 hours until you are ready to bake.
Freezer instructions: You can also freeze the cookie dough prior to rolling and cutting. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a sealed ziplock bag or airtight container in the freezer. To use it, simply defrost on room temperature until it’s soft enough to roll.
You can also freeze the baked cookies – but best to do it before you have filled them with jam. Then just defrost, dust with icing sugar and fill with jam when you are ready to serve.
