Valentine Linzer Cookies

Every February, I love making these buttery linzer cookies for Valentine’s Day. There is something very festive about it’s “peek-a-boo” eye filled with either strawberry or raspberry jam~perfect for this holiday.

What are Linzer cookies made of?

Homemade linzer cookies

In addition to common cookie ingredients such as butter, flour, egg, sugar and vanilla, Linzer cookie dough includes almond flour, which lends to its delicate and sandy crumb. Linzer cookies are typically filled with fruit preserves or jam filling.

What is the origin of the Linzer cookie?

These cookies originated in Austria and have been adapted for American tastes. In Philadelphia, the most enduring German bakeries, this cookie is a year-round staple. There are many resources to purchase these delicious cookies if you do not want to make them at home. However, I am strongly advocating for you to make them from scratch.

King Arthur recipe

King Arthur Linzer cookie recipe

I find making these cookies to be rather easy if you have all the right tools. Using a King Arthur recipe (see below) is one I have good luck with so I am sticking with it again this year. Unfortunately, my small wee heart shaped cookie cutter seems to have disappeared. It is the perfect size for making a small heart cut out in the top cookie.

Heart shaped cookie cutters

However, thanks to Amazon I am able to order another set of heart-shaped cookie cutters. The smallest one, however, is far bigger than my tiny missing cutter, but they arrived within a day so I can’t complain.

Making the Dough

Since the dough contains quite a bit of butter, you need to refrigerate it for at least an hour prior to using. It’s very simple to make and I did refrigerate mine overnight (as I was waiting for my small heart cookie cutter). The recipe gives you the option of using lemon zest or cinnamon. Since lemons are in season now, I find that adding the zest makes the cookie just that much more delicious.

Just a note: my first batch of dough I ran out of King Arthur Almond Flour and used almond meal instead. The dough did not hold well together so make sure you use almond flour.

Rolling and Cutting

After letting the dough soften for a few minutes, it is time to roll out the disks. Note that the dough can be a bit fragile, but it is very easy to fix any cracks. This recipe makes 15 cookies (with tops and bottoms). The hearts in the above photo will be the bottom cookie.

The cookie tops and leftover hearts

Here you can see the larger heart “hole”, which will be the top cookie. The center cut hearts are just a bonus and you can eat these plain or frost them too (with Nutella, chocolate, lemon icing, lemon curd).

Seedless raspberry preserves

You can fill the linzer cookie with anything you’d like, however, I use a generic store brand seedless raspberry preserves. Spreading the preserves on the bottom cookie, I am now ready to add the top cookie. First I heavily sift confectioners sugar over the cookie, while they cool.

Assemble the Cookie

Lay the sugared top of the cookie on top of the preserves/bottom cookie. Aren’t they so pretty? These heart-shaped sandwich linzer cookies are buttery and jam-packed. I just think they are so festive for Valentine’s Day too.

You can make these with any cookie cutter shape. They do not need to be hearts, but round or square cookie cutters would do nicely too.

Yesterday, I stopped at our local bakery and gave their Valentine cookies a once over and quite honestly, I like mine much better. Plus there are no preservatives that many store-bought brands have to add to increase shelf life.

Happy baking and please let me know if you try this delicious linzer recipe.

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Linzer Cookie

Buttery, confectioners' sugar-dusted, jam-packed cookies~a winner!

  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 lemon zest or 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 Large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • raspberry jam or lemon curd (for filling)
  • confectioners sugar (for dusting)

  1. To make the dough: Beat the butter, sugar, and zest (or cinnamon) until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed, about 3 minutes. Add the yolk and vanilla and beat until combined.

  2. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, almond flour, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until just combined. Don't over-beat.

  3. Divide the dough in half, and pat each half into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

  4. To assemble: Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes, until it feels soft enough to roll. It should still feel cold, but shouldn't feel rock-hard. On a floured surface, roll one disc of dough out about 1/8"-thick. Using a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the scrap dough, roll, and repeat. If at any time during this process the dough becomes sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate it for about 20 minutes, until firm.

  5. Place the cut cookies (you should have 15 cookies) in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350°F.

  6. While the first half of cookies is chilling, cut 15 rounds from the remaining dough. Once you've transferred these cookies to a baking sheet, use your smallest cookie cutter or the end of a round piping tip to make a peekaboo cutout in the center of each. Place cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill.

  7. To bake: Bake all of the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

  8. To fill the cookies: Place the cookies with the holes in them on a cookie sheet and sift confectioners' sugar over the top. Turn the remaining cookies flat side up and spoon 1/2 teaspoon of jam or lemon curd into the center, spreading it slightly. Top with the sugar-dusted cookies.

  9. Storage information: Store filled cookies, well wrapped, at room temperature (when filled with jam) or in the refrigerator (if filled with curd) for several days; freeze for longer storage.  

Notes: I did use King Arthur almond flour.  Do not use almond meal as the dough will not stay together well.

Dessert


This post is shared with Peacock Ridge Farm Fabulous Friday Link Party 2.4.22