Linzer Cookies

Sweet and buttery linzer cookies are a classic Christmas cookie that tastes even better than they look. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies have two layers of buttery and flaky shortbread, a layer of sweet fruit jam in between, and a generous dusting of confectioners' sugar on top. They are the perfect festive holiday treat.

This is the year to make all the cookies and do the holidays big. I am planning to make holiday cookie boxes for family and friends and packaging them up in these cute Christmas cookie boxes. These linzer cookies are the perfect Christmas cookie to include, with classic flavours of shortbread and jam (similar to my jam-filled thumbprint cookies). Some other must-haves to bake are Christmas sugar cookies, soft and chewy ginger cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies and cranberry pistachio biscotti.

Ingredients

You only need a handful of ingredients to make these cookies, most of which you probably already have in your refrigerator and pantry.

• butter
• Confectioner's sugar - Confectioners' sugar (or powdered sugar) creates a melt-in-your-mouth cookie. You could also use granulated sugar to get a delicious cookie, but the texture will not be the same.
• all-purpose flour
• pure vanilla extract
• salt
• jam - Any fruit jam works with this recipe. I used seedless raspberry jam, and often use strawberry jam as well.

Equipment used:

• measuring cups and spoons
• mixing bowl
• hand mixer (or stand mixer)
• rolling pin
• linzer cookie cutters - I used a large star cookie cutter, and then used the small star cutout from this linzer cookie cutter set.
• half sheet baking pan lined with silicone baking mat or parchment paper
• wire cooling rack

How to Make the Best Linzer Cookies

1. Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer or stand mixer until soft and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Add vanilla and salt and continue to beat until fully incorporated. Gradually add flour, and mix until your mixture forms into a dough mass.
2. Shape the dough and chill: Use your hands to form the dough into a ball, and then shape into a flat disc. Cover tightly in plastic cling wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

3. Cut out the cookies: Once the dough is chilled, lightly dust a clean surface with flour, and place the dough on top. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough until it is ¼-inch thick. Use linzer cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. On half of the cookies, use a smaller cookie cutter to cut shapes in the center of the cookie. Remove the smaller cookie shapes and bake them as separate little shortbread cookies, or roll them together with the scraps to cut out more cookies. 

4. Second chill: Place the cookies half-inch apart on half sheet baking pan lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, and chill in the refrigerator for another 10 minutes, while the oven is preheating to 350 F.

5. Bake: Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, or until edges just start to brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.

How to Assemble Linzer Cookies

1. Dust confectioners' sugar on the cookies that have the center cut out.

2. Spread some raspberry jam on the bottom halves of each cookie (the cookies that do not have the center cut out), leaving a small ⅛-inch border around each of the cookies. You can use a knife or use a piping bag with a round piping tip to pipe the jam onto the cookies.

3. Carefully place the tops of the cookies on the jammy bottoms. Be careful not to smudge the sugar on top. You can fill the open centers with more jam, if desired.

More Cookie Recipes

• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
• Christmas Sugar Cookies
• Jam-filled Thumbprint Cookies with Almond Glaze
• Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
• Soft and Chewy White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
• Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Heart Cookies

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