FARGO — Linzer Cookies are one of my son’s all-time bakery favorites, but I had always been too intimidated by their delicate, pretty presentation to make them myself, until this fall. Imagine my delight when I discovered that, despite their gorgeous, jewel-like appearance, Linzer cookies are surprisingly easy to make - and they taste even better than they look.
These beautiful sandwich cookies are a miniature version of the famous Linzer torte, a classic European dessert named for the Austrian city of Linz, consisting of a shortbread base topped with fruit preserves covered with a decorative pastry lattice. The shortbread is traditionally made with finely ground nuts, usually almonds or hazelnuts, which add terrific flavor and texture to the pastry.
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I chose almonds for this recipe as they are available in our local markets and more affordable than hazelnuts. You can use either natural or blanched whole almonds, or even an equal amount of slivered or sliced almonds. After several tests, I found I prefer natural, whole almonds because I love their nutty flavor and the small flecks of brown color they add to the cookies.
Toast the almonds in the oven first to enhance their nutty sweetness, and then use a food processor to grind them into fine crumbs, like breadcrumbs. I add a quarter-cup of sugar with the almonds when processing them, which prevents them from becoming a gummy paste. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use an equal amount of pre-packaged almond meal or almond flour instead of the almonds.
The rest of the recipe is simple and requires basic baking staples: butter, sugar, egg yolks, pure vanilla extract, flour, cinnamon and salt. Once the dough is formed, divide it in half and roll each half out between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap, then let it chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cutting it into shapes.
I have a Linzer cookie cutter set which comes with a two-inch fluted round cutter and several smaller shapes which can be used to create the center cut-out. However, you don’t need a special set - you can use any two or three-inch cookie cutter and a smaller cutter of any shape for the center. Use the larger cutter to cut out all the cookies and the smaller cutter to cut out the center from half of the cookies. To help the cookies hold their shape and bake evenly in the oven, chill them in the fridge first and bake them in separate batches (tops versus bottoms).
Once the cookies have cooled, use a sifter to dust the tops of the cut-out cookies with powdered sugar. Next, flip the remaining cookies over and spread a thin layer of jam on the flat side of the cookie, then top with the cut-out cookies and gently press together to create a sandwich. The sandwiches can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week and will soften pleasantly over time.
Elegant, easy to make and even more delicious than beautiful, these classic Austrian Linzer Cookies are the new darlings on my holiday cookie platters, and I hope they will dazzle you, too.
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Austrian Linzer Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup whole almonds (natural or blanched)
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¾ cup granulated white sugar, divided
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Raspberry or strawberry jam, for filling (about ½ cup, may use other flavors if preferred)
Powdered sugar, for dusting the tops of cut-out cookies
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the almonds on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and toast until lightly browned and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the almonds cool for 10 minutes.
Once the almonds have cooled, place them in a food processor with ¼ cup of sugar. Turn the processor on and blitz until the almonds are finely ground, like breadcrumbs. The sugar will prevent the almonds from forming into a paste as they process.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon and salt until well combined; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the remaining ½ cup of sugar and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
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Add the egg yolks and vanilla and beat for 1 minute to combine. Add the ground almonds and beat on medium-low speed until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix on the lowest speed until well combined.
Divide the dough in half and flatten each half into a disk about ½ to 1-inch thick. Place the disk between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and roll out the dough until it is about ¼ to 1/8-inch thick. Transfer the dough with the parchment paper to a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30, or up to 2 days. Repeat with the second disk of dough. The dough can also be made in advance and frozen for up to one month, wrapped tightly in plastic and secured in an airtight container.
To cut-out and bake the cookies:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove one sheet of the rolled-out dough from the refrigerator and remove the top piece of parchment or plastic wrap. I keep the dough on the bottom piece of paper but gently separate it first just to loosen it so that it is easier to remove the cookies once they are cut.
You can use a special Linzer cutter or a 2-3 inch cookie cutter (round, heart, diamond, square) to cut out the cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the center from half of the cookies. I recommend baking the solid and cut-out cookies separately to ensure even baking. Save the scraps to re-roll and cut out more cookies. Repeat this process until all the dough is used.
Chill the cut-out cookies in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes before baking – this will help them hold their shape as they bake.
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Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly golden brown, about 12 to 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies directly to the wire rack to cool completely before assembling.
Once the cookies have cooled, use a sifter to dust the tops of the cut-out cookies with powdered sugar, as generously as desired.
Next, flip the solid cookies upside down and spread a thin layer of jam on the surface, smoothing almost all the way to edge. Top with the cut-out cookies and gently press together to create a sandwich.
Store sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week. The cookies will soften as they age (which I prefer), so for crispy sandwiches, assemble them on the same day as you serve them. You may also freeze the plain cookies for 2 to 3 months and assemble them late.
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