These buttery shortbread Linzer cookies are filled with raspberry jam that peeks through the cutout on top of each cookie. Dusted with powdered sugar, these sandwich cookies make the perfect holiday sweet treat.

Linzer cookies are often made during the holidays but they’re a beautiful cookie to make throughout the year, too. The nut flavored cookie dough is the perfect counterbalance to the sweetness of the filling.

Linzer cookies are always a showstopper on the cookie platter. They also make awesome holiday cookie gifts!

What are Linzer Cookies?

These cookies take inspiration from the Linzer Torte, which was named after the Austrian city of Linz. A Linzer Torte is a pastry dessert with a jam filling that’s covered by a lattice-topped dough. The dough is traditionally almond-based. Linzer cookies are like miniature tortes in that they have a jam filling that’s sandwiched between two shortbread cookies. The top cookie is dusted with powdered sugar and has a cutout that allows the jam filling to peek through.

Linzer Cookie Filling Options

This recipe calls for raspberry jam, which is always a delicious and festive filling that works for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. However, you can fill these awesome cookies with any jam or spread that you like! In addition to raspberry, here are some yummy suggestions:

Strawberry
Blackberry
Apricot
Peach
Cherry
Black Currant
Lingonberry
Lemon Curd
Nutella
Chocolate

Flavor variations for Linzer cookie dough

Linzer cookie dough is traditionally flavored with ground almonds but you can certainly experiment with other nuts for a different flavor profile. Just grind the nuts in a food processor and add them to the dough. Here are a few to try:

Walnuts
Pistachios
Pecans
Macadamia Nuts
Pumpkin Seeds

You can also make chocolate cookie dough by adding 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough when you add the flour. Be sure and add an extra egg to compensate for the extra volume of dry ingredients from adding the cocoa powder.

Ingredients you’ll need to make these Linzer Cookies

2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
2 cups slivered almonds, finely ground
1 cup raspberry preserves

Additional items that you’ll need

stand mixer
cookie cutters: You’ll need 2 cutters for each cookie. Mini cutters should fit inside medium or large cutters to create the stained glass appearance where the preserves will be visible.
baking sheet

How to make Linzer Cookies

First things first: these cookies do require extra time to make, but they’re so worth it. There will be chilling time for the dough, so you’ll need to factor that in. In fact, these cookies are at their best the day after they’re made since the jam will infuse into the cookies making them a little bit softer. Delicious!

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and confectioners sugar. Add, in the eggs, vanilla, and salt until combined.
In a blender, finely grind slivered almonds and add to butter mixture. Add flour and mix until thoroughly combined.
Divide dough into 2 discs and wrap in plastic. Place in the refrigerator until firm, approximately 4 hours or overnight.
Roll the dough. Using medium-size and mini size cookie cutters, snowflakes, for example, cut out 2 medium size snowflake cookies. Tip: Transfer cutouts to the baking sheet before cutting out the center and make sure to dip the cutter into flour before pressing into dough. One cookie will be the base for the Linzer sandwich. The other cookie will have the center cutout. Use one mini cutter, snowflakes for example, and cut out 1 center. Repeat this, creating sandwich sets with a variety of cookie cutters.
Bake the mini cutouts on a separate sheet as they will bake faster.
Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Set cookies on a wire rack to cool.
Spread jam/preserves on each cookie base.
Set all the top cookies on a sheet and dust evenly with confectioner’s sugar. Place tops onto preserve covered bases. These are your Linzer sandwich cookies!

How to store Linzer Cookies

Store your Linzer Cookies in an airtight container with layers of parchment paper between them. Linzer Cookies do not need to be refrigerated. They will keep for up to 3 weeks stored in a cool and dry place.

Are Linzer Cookies freezer friendly?

Baked and assembled Linzer Cookies are not freezer friendly; however, the unbaked raw cookie dough is freezable. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic and then foil. Defrost the dough overnight in the fridge before making the cookies.

This Linzer Cookie recipe will become a holiday tradition in your family. Get the kids in on the action, too – they’ll love helping with the festive cookie cutter cutouts. And don’t forget to bake those cutout sections for a festive little bit of sugary goodness!

Other holiday cookie recipes:

Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her very popular website Moore or Less Cooking

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Makes 30 cookies plus the 30 mini cookies from inside cutouts

Linzer Cookies

Name: Linzer Cookies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 10 min 7 s
Total time: 40 min 7 s
Yield: 30
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 ½ cups flour; 1 ½ cups confectioners sugar; ½ cup butter (1 stick); 2 eggs; 1 tsp vanilla; ¼ tsp salt; 2 cups slivered almonds, finely ground; 1 cup raspberry preserves

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes 7 seconds

Total Time: 40 minutes 7 seconds

Ingredients

2 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups confectioners sugar
½ cup butter (1 stick)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
2 cups slivered almonds, finely ground
1 cup raspberry preserves

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, beat butter and confectioners sugar. Add, eggs, vanilla, and salt until combined.
In a blender, finely grind slivered almonds and add to butter mixture. • Add flour and mix until thoroughly combined.
Divide dough into 2 discs and wrap in plastic. Place in refrigerator until firm, approximately 4 hours or overnight.
Roll dough. Using medium-size and mini size cookie cutters, snowflakes for example. Cut out 2 medium size snowflake cookies. Tip: Transfer cutouts to the baking sheet before cutting out the center and make sure to dip the cutter into flour before pressing into dough. One cookie will be the base for the Linzer sandwich. The other cookie will have the center cutout. Use one mini cutter, snowflakes for example, and cut out 1 center. Repeat this, creating sandwich sets with a variety of cookie cutters.
Bake the mini cutouts on a separate sheet as they will bake faster. • Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Set cookies on a wire rack to cool. • Spread preserves on each cookie base.
Set all the top cookies on a sheet and dust evenly with confectioner’s sugar. Place tops onto preserve covered bases. These are your Linzer sandwich cookies.
Store in a covered container for up to a week. If they last that long!

Notes

Additional items:

stand mixer
cookie cutters: You’ll need 2 cutters for each cookie. Mini cutters should fit inside medium or large cutters to create the stained glass appearance where the preserves will be visible.