Home » Recipes » Austrian Recipes » Linzer Cookies

Linzer Cookies

This Linzer Cookie Recipe Is Perfect For The Holiday Season!

Searching for the perfect Linzer cookie recipe? You’re not alone! Traditional Linzer cookies – those cute little jam-filled sandwich cookies made into shapes – are always a hit around Christmas time.

A descendent of the famous Linzertorte, it’s hard to go wrong with a shortbread-like dough that melts in your mouth and a sweet, jam filling that glues it all together.

Don’t forget about a generous dusting of powdered sugar!

jam filled linzer cookies shaped like stars and flowers cooling on black wire cooking rack on white counter.
Our Linzer cookies are cooling off – awaiting the holiday cookie plate!

Popular in Germany, Austria, parts of Hungary, Switzerland, and beyond, these popular European holiday cookies go by many other names.

Eric’s Hungarian grandmother used to make Linzer cookies with apricot jam. He remembers her baking these buttery, soft sandwich cookies and them always having a bright orange circle in the middle.

Sometimes, the cookie bears the name of the delicious jam/fruit preserve filling. This is why you’ll sometimes find Linzer cookies called “raspberry Linzer cookies”. Apricot jam or a more traditional red currant are also popular choices.

Did You Know?

A version of these cookies is the Linzer Augen (Linzer Eyes). It’s made with three dots in the middle of the upper cookie. Depending on the region or the family recipe, you might also find them referred to as Linzer Kekse or Spitzbuben. A small difference is that Spitzbuben cookies are often made with only egg whites and not egg yolks. The cookies themselves look almost identical though.

Ingredients

jam filled cookies in different shapes cooling on black cookie cooling rack.
Look at these delicious Linzer cookies!

To make this recipe for Linzer cookies, here are the ingredients you’ll need for both the cookies and the filling:

The Dough

  • Butter – Make sure to use a good quality butter, unsalted. It should be cold.
  • Flour – Classic all-purpose flour works well.
  • Ground almonds – To make the dough. You can also use almond flour.
  • Vanilla extract – To give the cookies a slight vanilla flavor. You can also use vanilla sugar instead (one packet) if you can find it.
  • Granulated sugar – To add sweetness to the cookies.
  • Egg – Use a medium-sized egg.
  • Pinch of salt – To enhance the flavors.
  • Jam – Apricot, black/red currant, and raspberry are classic choices. But you can use any jam you have on hand, such as strawberry jam etc. It shouldn’t contain any fruit chunks though.
  • Powdered sugar – To dust the cookies and give them their signature look.

Recipe Tips

Before you dive into this Linzer cookie recipe, here are some recipe tips that you’ll want to know about!

  • Make sure that the butter is cold, but cut it into small pieces so it is easier to work with.
  • Let the dough rest in the fridge before rolling it out. This will make it easier to work with.
  • You can use a classic Linzer cookie cutter set, or use cookie cutters you have on hand to make the shape you like for your Linzer cookies – stars, circles, flowers, hearts, etc. Just remember to always make a bottom and a top cookie using the same shape! Otherwise, you’ll have mismatched top and bottom cookies.
  • You can use whatever jam you like to fill the cookies. We like apricot and raspberry but any jam works! Just be sure it doesn’t have any seeds or large chunks of fruit – these make the cookies sit weirdy on top of one another.
  • Allow the baked cookies to cool fully before spreading on jam or assembling them. They can be a bit crumbly out of the oven so be careful.

How to Make Linzer Cookies – Step by Step Instructions

If you want to make this Linzer cookies recipe and like visuals when you bake, stay in this section for step-by-step process photos!

This way, you’ll have an idea of whether or not you’re on the right track with your Linzer cookies.

butter and egg with linzer cookie ingredients in metallic mixing bowl.
Add your ingredients to a mixing bowl.

First, cut up the cold butter into smaller pieces. That will make it easier to knead the dough.

Then add the flour, ground almonds, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg into a large bowl.

Use the spiral dough hooks of your electric mixer or your hands to knead the dough until you can easily form a ball without it crumbling apart again.

ball of linzer cookie dough in cling wrap on counter.
Wrap the ball in cling film.

Wrap the ball of dough in cling film and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. This will make it easier to roll out the dough later.

cookie dough rolled out flat on kitchen counter top.
Roll out the dough.

When the 30 minutes are almost over, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the ball of dough from the fridge and unwrap it.

Sprinkle some flour onto your countertop, then roll out the dough using a rolling pin. Make sure it is equally thick everywhere so the cookies will be done at the same time.

flower cookie cutter cutting through cookie dough on counter top.
Cut out the cookies.

Use your cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Remember that for each Linzer cookie you’ll need a set of two cookies (one bottom cookie and one top cookie).

So, cut two cookies of the same shape and then cut out the middle of one of them using a smaller cookie cutter.

Place the cookies on the parchment paper with a little bit of space between them.

When you’ve used up all of the rolled-up dough, gather the leftovers and form another ball. Then roll the dough out again, and cut more cookies.

Repeat these steps until you have used up all of the dough.

baked shaped cookies on black cooling rack on counter.
Freshly baked cookies on the cooling rack.

Bake your cookies on the middle rack of your oven for around 10-12 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden brown around the edges.

Depending on your oven and how thick your cookies are, the baking time might vary slightly.

When the cookies are done baking, remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Let them cool fully.

silver butter knife spreading red jam on linzer cookie with more cookies behind.
Spread the bottom cookie with jam.

Once the cookies are fully cooled, spread the bottom cookie of each set with jam. This works well with a butter knife.

Popular choices for jam are raspberry, apricot, and black or red currant. We like using a few different flavors when making our Linzer cookies.

bottom of linzer cookies covered in red or orange jam on parchment paper.
Spread all the bottom cookies with jam.

Keep going until all the bottom cookies (those without holes) have jam on them.

dusting powdered sugar through sifter onto baked cookie shapes on tray.
Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar.

Then gather all the top cookies (those with the hole) and dust them with powdered sugar.

flower linzer jam cookie held in hand with other jam cookies beside.
Place the cookie on top of the jam.

Then it’s time to match up the sets of cookies by placing a powdered sugar-dusted top cookie on top of a matching bottom cookie.

Press down slightly. Make sure to only touch the cookie on the sides and not the part that is covered in powdered sugar to avoid fingerprints.

Keep going until you have matched up all the cookies. Let them sit for a bit to allow the jam to harden slightly. Then enjoy – these cookies probably won’t last long!

close up shot of star shaped linzer cookie with red jam on cookie rack.
One Linzer cookie filled with raspberry jam, please!

Storage Tips

We recommend storing the Linzer cookies in a cookie tin with a lid in a cool and dry place (such as your basement or garage). You can add some parchment paper in between layers to keep them fresh for longer.

However, keep in mind that due to the jam they will get slightly softer over time and won’t stay as crispy as they are on the first day.

Properly stored, they will last for a few weeks.

FAQ

Here are a few answers to common questions about Linzer cookies!

What are Linzer cookies?

Linzer cookies are jam-filled sandwich cookies of Austrian origin. The top cookie has the center punched out and they are cut into shapes and filled with sweet preserves like apricot or raspberry. These butter cookies are a descendant of the Austrian dessert Linzertorte. They are popular in Central and Eastern Europe.

Where are Linzer cookies from?

Linzer cookies are originally from Austria. They are a descendant of the Linzertorte, the pie-like, fruit preserve-filled tart which was named after the Austrian city of Linz (for reasons that aren’t exactly clear). Either, the torte was produced in Linz in the 1820s and/or the baker was named Linzer. Linzer cookies were apparently made from the leftover Linzertorte dough which got made into smaller cookies.

What do Linzer cookies taste like?

Due to their use of butter and ground almond, Linzer cookies have a crumbly yet soft consistency and buttery yet subtly sweet taste similar to a shortbread cookie, a Vanillakipferl, and a classic German butter cookie.

How to make Linzer cookies?

To make Linzer cookies, combine the dough ingredients – including the cold butter – into a bowl and knead until you have a soft dough. Place the dough ball in the fridge to cool for 30 minutes and then roll flat and punch out the cookie shapes – accounting for tops and bottoms. Bake the cookies in the oven and allow to cool before spreading jam on the bottoms and sprinkling powdered sugar on the tops. Assemble the tops and bottoms and enjoy!

Related Recipes

If you enjoyed these classic Linzer cookies, be sure to check out these German holiday cookies if you’re feeling like baking up a storm this season!

jam filled cookies in different shapes cooling on black cookie cooling rack.

Linzer Cookies

Cute and tasty Linzer Cookies are a great holiday delight. Perfectly sweet, buttery, and filled with a layer of fruit jam, these cookies are finished off with a dusting of powdered sugar.
4.84 from 12 votes
Print Pin Save
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies

Ingredients

The Dough

  • 3/4 cup butter, cold
  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup ground almonds
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 medium-sized egg
  • a pinch of salt

The Filling/Topping

  • jam
  • powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Cut the cold butter into small pieces. Then add the flour, ground almonds, butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and egg into a large bowl. Use the spiral dough hooks of your electric mixer or your hands to knead the dough until it easily forms a ball.
  • Wrap the ball of dough in cling film and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Remove the dough from the fridge. Sprinkle flour onto a smooth surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. Make sure it is equally thin/thick everywhere. Use your cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Remember that you have to make a set of two cookies for each whole Linzer cookie (one bottom piece and one top piece). Cut out the middle of the top piece using a small cookie cutter. Place the cookies on the parchment paper leaving a little bit of space between them.
  • Once you've used up the rolled-out dough, gather the leftovers, form another ball, roll it out again, and cut more cookies. Repeat the process until you have used up all the dough.
  • Bake your cookies in the middle rack of your oven for around 10-12 minutes until the cookies are lightly golden brown along the edges. Depending on your oven and how thick your cookies are, your baking time might vary slightly.
  • Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Let them cool fully.
  • Once the cookies have fully cooled, spread jam onto the bottom cookie (the one without the hole) using a butter knife or small spoon.
  • Dust the top cookie (the one with the hole) in powdered sugar, then place it on top of the jam-covered "bottom cookie" and press down slightly. Be careful to only touch the top cookie on the sides and not the part that is covered in powdered sugar. Repeat the step with all pairs of cookies.
  • Let the cookies sit for a bit until the jam has hardened slightly.

Notes

  • Make sure that the butter is cold and cut into small pieces so it is easier to work with.
  • Allow the dough to rest in the fridge before rolling it out. This will make it easier to work with.
  • You can make any shape you like for your Linzer cookies – stars, circles, flowers, hearts, etc. Just remember to always make a bottom and a top cookie using the same shape! Otherwise, you’ll have mismatched top and bottom cookies.
  • You can use whatever jam you like to fill the cookies. We like apricot and raspberry but really any jam or jelly goes! Just be sure it doesn’t have any seeds or large chunks of fruit – these make the cookies sit weirdy on top of one another.
  • Allow the baked cookies to cool fully before spreading on jam or assembling them. They can be a bit crumbly out of the oven so be careful.

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g

This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Austrian
Author Lisa Wychopen
Don’t miss out!
Subscribe to Recipes from Europe!

Get updates on the latest posts and more from Recipes from Europe straight to your inbox. 

Invalid email address

2 thoughts on “Linzer Cookies”

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating