Linzer Cookie Recipe: 4 Tips for Making Linzer Cookies

Austrian Linzer cookies are a type of sandwich cookie that consists of two layers of crumbly, tender shortbread with a thin filling of red currant or raspberry jam in the center, visible through a cut-out at the top cookie. A light dusting of confectioners’ sugar lends an elegant touch to the festive cookie. Linzer cookie dough includes all-purpose flour and ground nuts—like almonds, walnuts, or pecans—and features lemon zest, which complements its fruit filling. Some recipes call for apricot jam or chocolate hazelnut spread.

Linzer cookies are a scaled-down version of the Austrian Linzer torte, a traditional holiday dessert featuring the same almond-enriched crust and fruit preserves but topped with an intricate lattice design.

Recipes for European Linzer tortes date back to at least 1653, but like other longstanding cultural traditions, the exact origins of the Linzer cookie are unknown. Generally thought to take its name from the city of Linz in Austria, the tart—and its cookie offspring—are said to have arrived in the United States in the 1850s, thanks to Franz Hölzlhuber, an Austrian migrant who found work at a Midwestern bakery, where he introduced the first iteration of the treat.

The nutty, buttery, fruity Linzer formula makes for elegant and simple Christmas cookies or Valentine’s Day treats. Here are some tips to consider before making your next batch:

1. 1. Use fresh almond flour. Fresh almond flavor is the calling card of the Linzer cookie. Bakers can best achieve this flavor by toasting and grinding the almonds or purchasing fresh almond flour (or almond meal) at the grocery store. To make almond flour, lightly toast whole almonds on the stovetop, cool them completely, transfer them to a food processor with a bit of all-purpose flour, and blitz until they achieve a sandy texture.
2. 2. Chill the dough for easier rolling. Linzer cookie dough is crumbly, so you may find it difficult to roll out fresh from the mixer. Chilling the dough for about an hour will help it stay firm while you make your cuts. (Chilling the cut cookies before baking will also help them keep their shape for an even neater assembly.)
3. 3. Change the shapes of the cookies. While Linzer cookies are traditionally round, you can make them into any shape you like, such as stars, triangles, or flowers. Use your favorite cookie cutters, or use a paring knife to make freeform designs.

Austrian Linzer cookies are a type of sandwich cookie that consists of two layers of crumbly, tender shortbread with a thin filling of red currant or raspberry jam in the center, visible through a cut-out at the top cookie. A light dusting of confectioners’ sugar lends an elegant touch to the festive cookie. Linzer cookie dough includes all-purpose flour and ground nuts—like almonds, walnuts, or pecans—and features lemon zest, which complements its fruit filling. Some recipes call for apricot jam or chocolate hazelnut spread.

Linzer cookies are a scaled-down version of the Austrian Linzer torte, a traditional holiday dessert featuring the same almond-enriched crust and fruit preserves but topped with an intricate lattice design.

Recipes for European Linzer tortes date back to at least 1653, but like other longstanding cultural traditions, the exact origins of the Linzer cookie are unknown. Generally thought to take its name from the city of Linz in Austria, the tart—and its cookie offspring—are said to have arrived in the United States in the 1850s, thanks to Franz Hölzlhuber, an Austrian migrant who found work at a Midwestern bakery, where he introduced the first iteration of the treat.

The nutty, buttery, fruity Linzer formula makes for elegant and simple Christmas cookies or Valentine’s Day treats. Here are some tips to consider before making your next batch:

1. 1. Use fresh almond flour. Fresh almond flavor is the calling card of the Linzer cookie. Bakers can best achieve this flavor by toasting and grinding the almonds or purchasing fresh almond flour (or almond meal) at the grocery store. To make almond flour, lightly toast whole almonds on the stovetop, cool them completely, transfer them to a food processor with a bit of all-purpose flour, and blitz until they achieve a sandy texture.
2. 2. Chill the dough for easier rolling. Linzer cookie dough is crumbly, so you may find it difficult to roll out fresh from the mixer. Chilling the dough for about an hour will help it stay firm while you make your cuts. (Chilling the cut cookies before baking will also help them keep their shape for an even neater assembly.)
3. 3. Change the shapes of the cookies. While Linzer cookies are traditionally round, you can make them into any shape you like, such as stars, triangles, or flowers. Use your favorite cookie cutters, or use a paring knife to make freeform designs.