Christmas Linzer Cookies with Raspberry Jam
Buttery almond cookies sandwich raspberry jam beneath fluted, sugar-dusted tops. Small circular windows leave the jam visible, while the cookies stay pale golden with lightly browned edges. Chill the dough until it cuts cleanly, and check the windowed tops before the solid bottoms: they can finish baking sooner.
Makes about 24 sandwich cookies. Allow about 35 minutes of active prep, 1 hour to chill the dough, and 25–35 minutes of baking across batches, plus time to chill the cutouts and cool the cookies.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (315g)
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour (95g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (225g)
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, for the dough (80g)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- About 2/3 cup raspberry jam or preserves (215g)
- About 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar, for finishing (40g)
Use a 2 1/2-inch round fluted cutter and a small round cutter, about 3/4 to 1 inch wide, for the windows.
How to Make Christmas Linzer Cookies
- Mix the dough: Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar until combined. Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no dry flour remains and the dough holds together when pressed.
- Chill the dough: Divide it into two disks, wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until firm enough to cut cleanly. If it is too firm to roll, let it stand briefly. If it feels sticky or bends easily, chill it longer.
- Roll and cut: Roll the dough between sheets of parchment to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Cut fluted rounds, then cut a circular window from the center of half the rounds, making equal numbers of solid bottoms and windowed tops. Lift delicate shapes with a thin spatula. Reroll scraps gently, chilling them again if they soften.
- Chill the cutouts: Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Keep windowed tops and solid bottoms on separate sheets when possible. Chill for 10–15 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake: Bake uncovered, preferably in separate batches for tops and bottoms. Start checking windowed tops at about 7 minutes; they may take 7–9 minutes. Start checking solid cookies at about 8 minutes; they may take 8–11 minutes. Remove each sheet when the edges are just beginning to turn pale golden and the centers look set. Rotate a sheet front to back if the oven browns unevenly.
- Cool and dust: Let the cookies rest briefly on the baking sheets, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely. Lightly sift the finishing confectioners’ sugar over the windowed tops before assembly so it does not cover the jam.
- Fill and sandwich: If the jam is stiff, stir it or warm it gently until spreadable. Spoon or pipe a modest amount onto each solid cookie, leaving a narrow border. Set a sugared top over each base and press gently, using enough jam to show clearly through the window without squeezing out the sides. Let the jam settle before serving.
Why the Windowed Tops Need an Early Check
Cutting out the centers leaves the tops with less dough than the solid bottoms, so they may brown first. Thickness, cutter size, and oven behavior also affect timing. Use the first batch to judge your oven, and remove each sheet when the edges just begin to color rather than waiting for deep browning.
Storage and Make-Ahead
For the firmest texture, assemble the cookies close to serving time. Store filled cookies in a single layer or between sheets of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature for up to about 3 days for best texture. The jam will gradually soften them.
Unfilled baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to about 1 month. Thaw them before filling, then dust the tops as needed. The dough can also be wrapped tightly and frozen; thaw it until workable before rolling. Serve the finished cookies at room temperature without reheating.
Arrange the cookies with their jam windows facing up on a holiday platter. For another raspberry cookie to serve alongside them, try Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies with White Icing.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per sandwich cookie (1 of 24): 185 calories, 2g protein, 10g fat, and 22g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 460 calories, 6g protein, 25g fat, and 53g carbohydrates. Values vary with the ingredients used.
Christmas Linzer Cookies with Raspberry Jam
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- 2 1/2-inch fluted cutter
- Small round cutter
- Baking sheets
- Thin spatula
- Wire rack
- Fine-mesh sieve
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (315g)
- 1 cup finely ground almond flour (95g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (225g)
- 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (80g)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
For filling and finishing
- About 2/3 cup raspberry jam or preserves (215g)
- About 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar (40g)
Instructions
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and 2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar until combined. Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no dry flour remains and the dough holds together when pressed.
- Divide the dough into two disks, wrap, and refrigerate for about 1 hour, until firm enough to cut cleanly.
- Roll the dough between sheets of parchment to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Cut fluted rounds, then cut a small circular window from half of them.
- Place equal numbers of solid rounds and windowed tops on parchment-lined baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Chill for 10–15 minutes while the oven preheats to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the windowed tops and solid bottoms in separate batches when possible. Check tops at about 7 minutes and bottoms at about 8 minutes; bake until the edges are just beginning to turn pale golden and the centers look set.
- Rest the cookies briefly on the baking sheets, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sift the finishing confectioners’ sugar over the windowed tops.
- Stir or gently warm the jam if needed. Spoon or pipe a modest amount onto each solid cookie, leaving a narrow border.
- Place a sugared top over each base and press gently. Let the jam settle before serving.
Tips
- Keep the dough chilled so the cookies cut cleanly and hold their shape.
- If the dough is too firm to roll, let it stand briefly; chill it longer if it feels sticky or bends easily.
- Handle delicate cutouts with a thin spatula and rechill softened scraps before rerolling.
- Check windowed tops earlier than solid bottoms because they may brown sooner.
- Dust the tops before assembly so the sugar does not cover the jam windows.