These classic Linzer sandwich cookies bring buttery almond richness and sparkling jam windows to your holiday cookie tray. The dough mixes up tender, like shortbread cookies, thanks to almond meal, and bakes into crisp, pale rounds that won’t spread. Chill, cut, and fill with raspberry or apricot jam for a festive pop of color. If you love Christmas baking recipes and nostalgic jam cookies, this is your keeper: clean edges, melt-in-the-mouth texture, and a snowy icing-sugar finish. The dough chills beautifully for make-ahead magic, so you can bake whenever the mood (or the guests!) arrive.
Time Breakdown
- Prep Time: 25 minutes active (plus chilling)
- Chill Time: 2–3 hours total (sheets + cutouts)
- Bake Time: 8–10 minutes per tray
- Total Time: ~3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: About 28–32 sandwich cookies (56–64 rounds)
Ingredients List
For the Cookies
- 200 g unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
- 150 g icing sugar / powdered sugar (1 cup + 1 Tbsp)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 300 g plain/all-purpose flour (2 cups, leveled)
- 100 g almond meal / ground almonds (3/4 cup)
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
To Decorate
- Raspberry or apricot jam (about 250–300 g / 3/4–1 cup)
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar, for dusting
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
This recipe doesn’t require fancy gadgets, just a few reliable kitchen basics to keep everything simple and stress-free.
- Stand or hand mixer, mixing bowls, rubber spatula
- 2 large baking sheets + baking/parchment paper
- Rolling pin
- 5 cm / 2-inch round cutter + mini cutter for centers (star/heart/tree) or Linzer set
- Wire rack, fine sieve for dusting
- Metal sheet/tray to preheat in oven (helps even bottoms)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cream: Beat butter and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Mix in yolks and vanilla just to combine.
- Dry to wet: Whisk flour, almond meal, and salt. Add by spoonfuls on low speed until a soft dough forms.
- Roll & chill: Halve dough. Roll each half between baking paper to 2–3 mm (very thin). Slide sheets onto a tray; chill 1–2 hours until firm.
- Cut: Cut even rounds (you’ll need pairs). For half the rounds, cut mini shapes in centers. Re-roll scraps between paper; chill as needed.
- Cold bake: Chill cut cookies at least 1 hour. Heat oven to 180°C / 356°F (no fan). Preheat a metal tray on middle rack.
- Bake: Transfer cookies on lined sheet onto hot tray. Bake 8–10 minutes until edges just turn pale gold; tops should stay light. Cool 5 minutes on sheet, then rack.
- Finish: Dust tops (the “window” cookies) with powdered sugar. Spread 1 tsp jam on bottoms, then sandwich gently. Let set 30 minutes before boxing.
Pro Tips
- No spread: Bake dough very cold; thin dough = crisp, delicate cookies.
- Even windows: Press mini cutter straight down no twisting to keep neat edges.
- Jam control: Warm jam 10–15 seconds to loosen; strain seeds if desired for smooth centers.
- Make-ahead: Dough discs keep 2–3 days chilled or 1 month frozen; thaw in fridge.
Nutrition
| Serving Size | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Fiber | Sugar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| per sandwich | 160 | 2 g | 20 g | 8 g | 1 g | 10 g |