Almond Linzer Cookies with Assorted Fillings

Almond Linzer Cookies with Assorted Fillings

What can be more festive than handing out cookies. These Almond Linzer Cookies are rich, crisp and buttery filled with jam, chocolate, Nutella or dulce de leche.

Linzer cookies are one of my favorite cookies to bake (and eat). It’s a bit time consuming but the end result is so fascinating. They make a great project for kids too! Not to mention the jam in there gets the kids all excited. So are my Traditional Gingerbread Cookies 

Almond Meal – Nut based cookies 

I believe Linzer cookies are originally made with Pecan meal or some nut meal. But over time the due to the amount of people with nut allergies we have been making them without nuts. So be aware just in case you make these for kids or anyone with nut allergies.; please inform people before you have these out as treats. I will be posting my Classic Linzer Cookie recipe which are nut free soon. I think you will love those too – they are short bread style and almost melt in the mouth.

Let’s talk ingredients

• Almond Meal – I’m told the traditional recipe has to be with Pecan Meal but let’s face it Pecans are not readily available or affordable everywhere. My mom made these with mostly cashews because those were easily affordable and available to her. I make these with Almond meal because those are to me. The point is you can use any nut meal that is more easily available and affordable to you.
• Cornstarch – This is what gives these cookies that crumble in the mouth texture. If you must omit cornstarch I’d say add some rice flour or all purpose flour
• Unsalted Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my baking but if you have to use salted – go ahead just omit the salt in the recipe.
• Fillings – This is the fun part so make it count. I’ve given you suggestions that we love to have at home but you can use anything that you want!
  Buttercream, coconut cream – as long as it’s not too wet or soak up into the cookies.
  For example – your buttercream will be just butter and sugar.. not liquid. I hope that makes sense.

 

Homemade Nut Meal / Almond Meal

I know some of you do not get nut meal where you are and that’s OK. Nut meal is actually just powdered nuts. The main reason we buy it commercially is because nuts have a tendency to be oily when ground and commercial grinders are very high speed that do the job quick and easy with less cornstarch.

But you can make nut meal very successfully at home. All you need to do is add a bit of sugar or cornstarch or even flour from your recipe to your nuts in the food processor when grinding them. The sugar/cornstarch/flour prevents the nuts from releasing any oils giving you a nice dry powdered almond meal.

Every nut will give you a different quantity of ground powder but for the purpose of this recipe –
Take 3/4 cup Almond  and use the cornstarch you have in this recipe to grind them to a fine powder in the food processor. This should give you the 1 cup almond meal you need for this recipe.

 

Almond Linzer Cookies

Tools 

• K-Mix or Kitchen AidKitchen Aid
• Spatula
• Mixing Bowls
• Cookie Sheets
• Parchment Paper
• Linzer Cookie Cutters
• Cookie Cutters

 

Ingredients

• Almond Meal – 115 grams (1 cup) (see note to use whole almonds)
• All Purpose Flour – 220 grams (2 cups)
• Cornflour  – 30 grams ( 1/4 cup)
• Unsalted Butter  – 228 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks)
• Sugar – 150 grams  ( 3/4 cup)
• Confectioners Sugar  – 30 grams / 1/4 cup
• Vanilla essence  – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Eggs – 1 whole Egg + one Egg yolk
• Baking powder – 1/2 tsp

For the Filling

• Seedless Jam – Strawberry, Raspberry, Blueberry
• Ganache – melt 100 grams (3.5 oz) chocolate with 60 ml (1/4 cup) fresh cream. combine well, cool before using.
• Nutella – straight out of the jar
• Dulce de leche – use my homemade recipe or straight out of a jar.

Method

• Swift or mix the baking powder and salt with the flour
• Combine the flour, cornflour and almond meal together.

Prepare Dough

• Cream butter, sugar and confectioners sugar  until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and egg yolk then the  vanilla,
• Next add  in the flour to the mix.
• The dough will be soft.

Divide Dough and chill

• Divide into two disc and wrap in cling / plastic wrap,
• Refrigerate for at least two  hour or until cold enough to roll
• Work with one disc at a time while the second is chilling

Prepare for rolling

• Roll the first disc to about 1/8 inch in thickness on a lightly floured surface
• To make the bottom cookie
  • Cut out the cookies using Linzer cookie cutter or a 3″ round  cookie cutter.
  • Place them on a parchment lines baking tray and into the fridge to chill.
• Roll the second disc again the same thickness on a lightly floured surface.
• To make the top cookie
  • Cut out the cookies using Linzer cooker cutter without the center or a 3″ round cookie cutter
  • Then cut the center out using a Linzer cookie cutter with center or a 1″ cookie cutter in any shape  you want.
• Make cookies with all the remaining dough making sure you have equal pair for the top and bottom of the cookie.

Bake the cookies

• I prefer to chill the cookie in the fridge while the oven is preheating
• Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F
• Bake the cookies on the center rack for about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Once baked cool on the cookie sheet for 10 mins then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To assemble the cookies

• Once the cookies are cooled dust them with powder sugar.
• These cookies are delicate so handle carefully
• Place a teaspoon of jam (or Nutella) on the bottom cookie
• Spread it slightly  (I like it to look thick in the middle)
• Place the top cookie on the bottom cookie.

Storage and notes

• This dough can be halved or double without any issues.
• Store them in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 5 or 6 days.
• To make them in batches you can refrigerate cookie dough for a week or
• Freeze the dough for up to one month then – thaw in the fridge over night before using.

Save this recipe on Pinterest for later

 Recipe Card – Almond Linzer Cookies

 These make great gifts any time of the year.