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Traditional almond Linzer cookies with cherry jam are perfect for any occasion, whether that’s Christmas, Valentine’s or an Afternoon Tea. They’re delicious and crumbly with a tart jam filling and the prettiest appearance. They originate from Austria and are originally called ‘Linzer Kekse’. Authentic Austrian Linzer cookies are made with a buttery dough and ground almond flour, then filled with a tart jam. I tried to get them as close as I could and I think they’re absolutely yummy. You can make Linzer heart cookies for Valentine’s or Linzer star cookies for Christmas, or both. Either way, these cookie sandwiches are so presentable and fancy, you just can’t go wrong.

How to make authentic Linzer Cookies

First of all, it is ideal to use pure ground almonds for the dough. This adds a lot more flavour and makes the cookie more refined. I like to give it a few spins in a food processor to make sure it’s finely ground. Now, you can use mixed ground almonds, but the flavour won’t be the same. If you can’t find ground almonds, you can easily make your own by crushing blanched almonds in a food processor. The butter is also very important to get a crumbly dough.

Secondly, you can use any jam that you like for the filling. Traditionally, something tart is spread in between the cookie sandwiches, like cherry, raspberry or even lemon curd. But if you’re not a fan, you can go ahead and go for something sweeter, like strawberry jam or hey, maybe chocolate spread is more your thing. I have to admit that sounds delicious and indulgent. I will stick to tradition for these Linzer cookies but you are free to give them your own spin.

As always, let me know if you make them, I’d love to see!

Happy indulging,

Kim x

Yield: 12 sandwich cookies

Almond Linzer Cookies with Cherry Jam

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Traditional almond Linzer cookies with cherry jam are perfect for any occasion, whether that's Christmas, Valentine's or an Afternoon Tea. They're delicious and crumbly with a tart jam filling and the prettiest appearance.

Prep Time 50 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, room temp
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds / almond flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Assembling

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 100g - 125g cherry jam

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with the sugar using a hand-held whisk machine. Add the egg, vanilla and lemon juice and whisk everything together.
2. Grind down the almond flour to a fine texture. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Fold until all the ingredients are combined and it turns into a dough. Do not knead or over mix.
3. Cut the dough into 2 pieces, cover in plastic wrap, press into a flat disc and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 185°c.
4. Roll out 1 piece of the dough over a floured surface and use a circle cutter with textured edges to make the base of the 12 cookies. Transfer to the baking sheet and chill for another 30 minutes. Bake the first batch for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack.
5. In the meantime, repeat the process with the remaining dough. For this batch of 12 cookies, use a star or heart cookie cutter to cut out the middle. Transfer to the second prepared baking sheet and chill 30 minutes. Bake for the same time and let cool completely.
6. Spread the jam onto the 12 cookie bases. Dust the 12 cookie tops with powdered sugar, and press onto the jammed bases. Enjoy!

Notes

Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to a week. Ideally, they are served the same day they are made. They start to get softer on the second day.

Dough thickness: Around 0.5cm. Circle cutter diameter: Around 6cm.

Tips: Ideally, the almond flour is pure for the best flavour and texture. The jam can be any flavour that you prefer but cherry works great.

Recipe: This recipe can easily be doubled to make 24 sandwich cookies.