Let’s talk Christmas cookies. Chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, snickerdoodles, sugar cookies…the list goes on. It’s that time of year where people pull out their favorite cookie recipes. My favorite Christmas cookie by far is the Linzer cookie.

The Linzer cookie originated in Linz, Austria. Bakers would mix a batch of dough used for a Linzertorte but instead of making it into the traditional torte they would shape it into little stars,circles, or hearts. The cookies were then sandwiched and filled with some sort of jam, raspberry being the most popular. Once together the cookies were sprinkled with a dusting of powdered sugar.¹

Below I am sharing my recipe for the Linzer cookie. I would love for you to give them a try. Maybe they will become part of your family’s Christmas cookie traditions. Just remember to make extra for Santa!

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup seedless raspberry jam

Instructions

To make the dough

1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, confectioners’ sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Add the butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
3. Beat on medium speed until fluffy.
4. Mix in the vanilla extract and the egg.
5. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
6. Halve the dough and shape it into 2 disks.
7. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.

Prepare filling

1. Heat jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes; let cool.

To bake the cookies

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to ⅛-inch thick.
3. Cut out dough with a 2-inch fluted cookie cutter. (I used a star shaped cookie cutter.)
4. Cut out centers of half the cookies with a ½-inch round cutter.
5. Re-roll the scraps and cut out additional cookies.
6. Space the cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
7. Chill dough on baking sheets for 5 minutes.
8. Bake cookies until pale golden, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the pans 180° halfway through the baking time.
9. Transfer the pans to wire racks to cool and allow the cookies to cool completely on the pans before transferring the cookies to a work surface for the next steps.

To assemble cookies

1. Dust the cutout cookies with confectioners’ sugar - these will be the tops of your cookie sandwiches.
2. Spread jam onto uncut cookies; top with the cut out cookies.

Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Recipe adapted from Unknown (2021, December 7). Linzer cookies (with video!). Smells Like Home. Retrieved December 22, 2021, from https://www.smells-like-home.com/2011/12/pecan-linzer-cookies-with-raspberry-filling/