The BEST Almond Linzer Cookies Recipe with Assorted Fillings
This almond based shortbread cookie dough sandwiched with an assorted delicious filling of jams and chocolate make a perfect treat any time of the year. This simple, easy and effortless recipe for the best Linzer cookies will give you rich, crisp and buttery sandwich cookies you can wow family and friends at holidays and special occasions.
Almond Linzer Cookies – A festive treat
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I believe Linzer cookies are originally made with pecan meal or some nut meal.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 and due to the number 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 offer these cookies as treats. I will be posting my Classic Linzer Cookie recipe which is nut free soon. I think you will love those too. They are shortbread style and practically melt in the mouth.
Almond Linzer Cookies with assorted fillings
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 soaks up into the cookies.
For example – your buttercream will be just butter and sugar.. not liquid. I hope that makes sense.
Almond Linzer Cookies with Assorted Fillings
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 that nuts have a tendency to be oily when ground. Commercial grinders work at a very high speed and do the job quick and easy with less cornstarch.
But you can also make nut meal very successfully at home. All you need to do is add a bit of sugar or cornstarch, or even flour to the nuts in the food processor when grinding them. The sugar/cornstarch/flour prevents the nuts from releasing any oils. As a result, 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 with Assorted Fillings
The BEST Almond Linzer Cookies Recipe (Save/Pin)
Tools
- K-Mix or Kitchen AidKitchen Aid
- Spatula
- Mixing Bowls
- Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Linzer Cookie Cutters
- Cookie Cutters
Almond Linzer Cookies with Assorted Fillings
Ingredients
For the shortbread cookies
- Almond meal – 115 grams (1 cup) (see note to use whole almonds)
- All-purpose flour – 220 grams
- 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
Assorted fillings
- 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
Combine dry ingredients
- Combine baking powder, salt, cornflour, flour, and almond meal together.
Prepare the dough
- Cream butter, sugar and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and egg yolk.
- Followed by the vanilla – combine well.
- Lastly, add the flour mix.
- The dough will be soft and requires to be chilled.
Divide the dough and chill
- Divide dough into two discs and wrap in cling / plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour or until cold enough to roll.
- Work with one disc at a time while the second is still in the fridge.
Prepare for rolling
- Roll the first disc to about 1/8 inch in thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the cookie disc with a 3 inch round cookie cutter – this is for the bottom cookie.
- Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and into the fridge to chill.
- Roll the second disc again the same 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut out the cookies using a 3″ round cookie cutter.
- Then cut the center out using a 1″ round cookie cutter – this is the top cookie.
- Make cookies with all the remaining dough making sure you have an equal pair for the top and bottom of the cookie.
Using Linzer cookie cutter
- If you have a set of Linzer cookies follow the same process as above.
- Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thick.
- For the bottom cookie use the set without the center attachment.
- For the top cookie use desired shaped center cutouts.
- Ensure you have an equal number of top and bottom cookies to make your sandwich cookies.
Bake the cookies
- 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 5 mins then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To assemble the cookies
- Once the cookies are cooled dust them with powdered sugar.
- These cookies are delicate so handle carefully.
- Place a teaspoon of jam (or Nutella) on the bottom cookie.
- Spread it slightly.
- Place the top cookie on the bottom cookie.
Storage and notes
- This dough can be halved or doubled successfully.
- 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 overnight before using.
Don’t forget to save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.
Almond Linzer Cookies with Assorted Fillings
Almond Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
For the short bread cookies
- 115 grams Almond meal (see note to use whole almonds)
- 220 grams All purpose flour
- 30 grams Cornflour
- 228 grams Unsalted Butter
- 150 grams Sugar
- 30 grams Confectioners sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1 Egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
For the filling
- Seedless jam strawberry, raspberry, blueberry
- Ganache melt 100 grams chocolate with 60 ml 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
Instructions
Combine dry ingredients
- Combine baking powder, salt, cornflour, flour, and almond meal together.
Prepare the dough
- Cream butter, sugar and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and egg yolk.
- Followed by the vanilla - combine well.
- Lastly, add the flour mix.
- The dough will be soft and requires to be chilled.
Divide the dough and chill
- Divide dough into two discs and wrap in cling / plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour or until cold enough to roll.
- Work with one disc at a time while the second is still in the fridge.
Prepare for rolling
- Roll the first disc to about 1/8 inch in thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut the cookie disc with a 3 inch round cookie cutter - this is for the bottom cookie.
- Place them on a parchment lined baking tray and into the fridge to chill.
- Roll the second disc again the same 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut out the cookies using a 3" round cookie cutter.
- Then cut the center out using a 1" round cookie cutter - this is the top cookie.
- Make cookies with all the remaining dough making sure you have an equal pair for the top and bottom of the cookie.
Using Linzer cookie cutter
- If you have a set of Linzer cookies follow the same process as above.
- Roll dough to about 1/8 inch thick.
- For the bottom cookie use the set without the center attachment.
- For the top cookies use desired shaped center cutouts.
- Ensure you have an equal number of top and bottom cookies to make your sandwich cookies.
Bake the cookies
- 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 5 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.
- Place the top cookie on the bottom cookie.
Chef's Tips
Storage and notes
- This dough can be halved or doubled successfully.
- 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 overnight before using.
Love Cookies? Me too!
You may like to check out some of my other cookie recipes.
Or Click here to see a Recipe Index of all recipes on my blog.
Made these last week and the kids loved it. Thank you
Thank you, Norbert. So happy to hear that you had success with this recipe and that the kids loved it. My kids love these too. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
Made these for my kids and they loved it. The cookies just melt in the mouth. Love it. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you Leday. So happy to hear that you had success with this recipe and that your kids enjoyed it. Mine love these too especially the jam and nutella. Thank you so much for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it so much.
Hi Veena I totally love this page as you have some amazing recpies made so simple . I tried these linzer cookies and found them delicious . Only that they were so fragile that they fall apart . Am I doing something wrong .
Yeah they are delicate – just have to be a little more careful with them but I like them like this – they just melt in the mouth.