Learn how to bake original Austrian Linzer Cookies like I learned from my mother in Austria! This recipe has been passed down through generations and I'm excited to share it with you. These sandwich cookies are soft, buttery, and filled with jam. It has been a family favorite for many decades. By the way, have you tried my Vanillekipferl (vanilla crescent cookies) yet?
Step-by-step video tutorial
FAQs
Linzer cookies are soft, buttery and filled with jam. These are traditional Christmas sandwich cookies from Austria, which are usually filled with apricot or strawberry jam. They're so popular that you can buy them in stores all year round, not just during the holiday season, even though they're considered Christmas cookies.
I got mine from my mother when I was still living in Austria. After some research I found that Wilton sells Linzer Cookie cutters that look similar to mine. Their cookie cutter set is available on Amazon. My cookie cutters are 2 inches (5cm) in diameter and so are theirs. However, any 2-inch cookie cutters will work.
Process shots
Making the dough is as easy as making regular sugar cookie dough. Start mixing the butter until creamy. Then add powdered sugar followed by egg yolks. Stir in the vanilla, salt, lemon juice and cinnamon. Finally add flour and almond flour. Divide the dough in half and shape it into discs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough, ¼-inch (0.6cm) thick. Then cut out cookies and place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. You can space them 1-inch (2.6cm) apart as they don't spread at all.
Then bake, cool completely, and fill with jam.
Expert tips for success
- The dough contains a lot of butter, so it will become soft if rolled too long. Work in batches, roll out one sheet of dough at a time and keep the second refrigerated until the entire first sheet of dough is cut and ready to bake. If the dough gets too soft, put it back in the fridge. You can also work in smaller batches and quarter the dough if that's easier for you.
- Avoid counteracting the increased softness and stickiness of the dough as you roll it out with too much flour. Use enough flour to roll and cut the dough, but don't work too much flour into the dough or the Linzer cookies will become dry and crumbly.
- Gently roll out the dough with increasing pressure but avoid pressing too hard on the dough or it will tear.
- When it comes to apricot jam, it is popular in Austria to add a bit of rum to the jam. If you want that too, add 1-2 tablespoons of dark rum to your jam, depending on your preference.
- I highly recommend using a kitchen scale and weighing the ingredients. Cups vary in size and too much (almond) flour would dry the cookies out. If using cups instead of a kitchen scale, fluff up the flour, spoon it into the cups, and level with the back of a knife.
- Whenever possible, use real Bourbon vanilla beans, as this is the type of vanilla originally used in these sandwich cookies.
How long do they last?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Make ahead and freezing instructions
- Cookie dough - Place wrapped dough discs in freezer bags or containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Place the wrapped dough in the refrigerator overnight to thaw.
- Baked cookies - You can either freeze filled cookie sandwiches or just the cookies and fill them after thawing. Individually wrap each cookie tightly in plastic wrap, place in freezer bags or containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw, unwrap and let sit on the counter for 1 hour.
More cookie recipes to try
- Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti
- Christmas Thumbprint Cookies
- Buckeye Cookies
- Gingerbread Men Cookies
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies
- Brown Butter Cookies
The softest and best Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 vanilla bean* (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup almond flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ cup apricot or strawberry jam
- Optional powdered sugar for decoration
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium speed until creamy for about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix to combine. Stir in the egg yolks until combined. Add the salt, cinnamon, vanilla*, and lemon juice and mix just until incorporated. On low speed, stir in flour and almond flour just to combine.
- Divide the dough in half and shape into 1-inch (2.6cm) thick discs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line 2 or 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disc at a time ¼ inch (0.6cm) thick. Using a 2-inch (5cm) cookie cutter of your choice, cut out cookies and place about 1-2 inches (2.5-5 cm) apart on the prepared baking sheets. You should end up with about 64 cookies.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9-10 minutes until they look dry. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Fill cooled cookies with jam by spreading jam on the bottom of one cookie and placing another on top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you like. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Video
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Patricia M
I wish I could post my picture here! I made them New Year’s Eve. It os the 8th day of Christmas, after all! They were delicious. I didn’t have any apricot preserves, but I used plum, peach and pineapple preserves. I would recommend 1/8” thickness and also mention to sprinkle powdered sugar on the top cookies alone before assembling. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Lanie
These cookies are delicious! The recipe is perfect! Everyone loved the cookies! The only thing I would do differently next time is perhaps add a couple of stops of almond extract.
Sonia
Hi Sabine! Thank you for the recipe. Just baked these delicious cookies for Santa! Loved the hint of lemon in them. They came out perfect!
Ally Heinz
Delicious recipe!! I have celiac disease, so I subbed the flour with gluten free flour, and would never know these weren't the real deal! I used apricot, strawberry and raspberry jams, and my family loved them! I used 3/4 C of sugar (since I don't like my sweets too sweet), and found these were still deliciously sweet! Only complaint is that the first step is to preheat the oven, which I did, even though the cookies weren't able to bake for another 2 hours since the dough had to chill.
Sabine
Thank you so much for your feedback! I'm glad you like it. I will move the first step, thanks for letting me know!
Courtney Cole
These are very delicious, nice flavor. I halved the recipe because I'm on a diet. Haha. And I've never made a shortbread type cookies before. I think I may have been bit over 1/4" rolled because i got under 32 cut outs but that is fine. I've put raspberry jam on half. Am going to make fig jam for other half. Would make these again, they are so pretty.
Liz White
This got rave reviews from the recipients of my cookie boxes this Christmas. I will definitely make again, Thank you!
Lubomira
Do I have to use almond flour also?
Sabine
Yes, it is a key ingredient in these cookies. If you don't have almond flour, it's better to go with a regular sugar cookie recipe. Hope that helps!
Antonia
Hi, I made the dough yesterday and tried to roll it out today. What a disaster! The dough kept cracking and when I finally got a decent roll-out and tried cutting out the shapes, just soft mush! I don't know what went wrong. I followed your directions through to the end so I don't know why the dough was so soft. I felt so encouraged when I read other commenting that it was such an easy dough to work with. Any suggestions for me?
Thanks
Sabine
I'm sorry that this happened to you. I really have no idea what caused the problem on your end. It sounds like the amounts of the ingredients were off (wet to dry ingredients).
Donna
Hi Sabine - have you used cornstarch in Linzer Cookies? If so, how do I substitute in recipe provided. I like the melt in mouth texture this provides. I've made with ground walnuts but wanted to try with almonds.
Sabine
Hi Donna, I've never used cornstarch in these cookies. So, I have no recommendation for you, I'm sorry.
Steph
Divine! So happy I found this recipe. I had these while traveling in Europe and wanted to add them to Holiday cookie batch. I used Bobs Red Moll Almond flour and so mine had little brown specks in them. I didn’t mind that at all really. I overpacked the first batch and was worried that the cookies would be too dry for my pallet (yes, I know the traditional cookie is no supposed to be chewy). However, once I adjusted my baking time to 6 minutes (my oven is very hot) the cookies came out perfect! They were so amazing with the jam. I made a blueberry, raspberry and guava variety by using the different jams I had on hand. I
Microwaved the jam with a touch of water before putting it on the cookie and that made it easy to spread. Thank you very much for this recipe. Total keeper! Vielen dank!!!
MissRC
I can’t wait to try this recipe. Can I use a different flavor jam? Or does it need to be apricot?
Sabine
Apricot jam is the original jam used for these cookies but you can use any jam you like. I love strawberry jam for example.