Baking Linzers: My Slightly Messy, Joyful Christmas Ritual
Oh! These Raspberry Linzer Christmas Cookies. Okay, story time—every year, when the temps finally decide to stop yo-yoing, I get the itch (literally and figuratively) to bake. These cookies? Total classics. My aunt started making them before I was tall enough to reach the counter (good thing for the kitchen stool and my questionable balance). Jam squishing out the sides, powdered sugar all over my shirt, and at least one batch slightly burnt but still somehow eaten with gusto. There's just something about making Linzers that says, "It's officially Christmas now"—even if my kitchen looks like a flour blizzard rolled through. And full disclosure: I never seem to get all the cookies perfectly sandwiched, but nobody ever complains because, honestly, who's counting?
Why You'll Love This (or At Least Why I Do)
I whip these up when the house needs to smell like something special—even more when I want to avoid wrapping presents for another hour. My folks lose their minds over the sweet-tart combo. And the layers! Little raspberry jam surprises. There's crunch, there's tender buttery parts, and—if you're like me—a few fingerprints in the sugar because patience is not my best thing. Oh, quick vent: for years I struggled to not have my cookies come out as lacy disasters (but a cooler oven and chilling dough actually helps, who knew?). And you can really go nuts with jams.
What You'll Need (Substitute At Will!)
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, room temp (but I've totally used salted and just dialed back the salt—nobody noticed)
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar (my grandma used superfine; regular works fine though, honest)
- 1 large egg (I've gone with two smaller ones in a pinch—results: slightly more cakey)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (almond makes it fancy, just saying)
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60g) ground almonds (sometimes I blitz up roasted ones if that’s all I’ve got, just watch they’re not salted)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup raspberry jam (once in a blue moon I use cherry or even apricot—go wild or just use up leftovers, but raspberry’s the crowd-pleaser)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting (I legit buy the cheapest kind—no difference, really)
How to Make Raspberry Linzer Christmas Cookies (You Got This)
- Cream your butter and sugar. Just toss them in a bowl and pretend you're on a baking show. Mixer works best, but an enthusiastic wooden spoon arm will get you there. Fiveish minutes till it's fluffy—that’s when I zone out a bit and end up with a small mountain of dishes.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Keep mixing! It might look a tad weird or broken—that's totally normal (or so I keep telling myself every Christmas).
- Mix in flour, salt, and ground almonds. I add these gradually because if I dump it all in at once, instant snowstorm. It turns into a dough—sticky but not goopy. (Here's where I sneak a taste and slightly regret it, raw egg and all...)
- Chill the dough. Wrap it in plastic and pop it in the fridge for at least an hour, but two is better. If you skip this step, cookies will be squiggly. Ask me how I know. If you get busy with a phone call or wrapping, overnight is fine (maybe even better—I dunno, seems easier to roll).
- Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly-floured board. About ⅛ inch thick—or, as I say, "thin-ish but not paper-thin." My cookie cutters are always disappearing so sometimes I use a small glass; don’t sweat perfect shapes!
- Cut an even number of cookies, and punch a small window (a heart, star, circle) in half of them. If you don’t have fancy cutters, a knife and a bottlecap totally work. The windows let the jam peek through—plus they're for Instagram bragging, don’t lie.
- Bake at 350F (180C) for about 10 minutes. Watch them—they go from pale to, oops, brown fast. If you forget and they’re a bit toasty? Still edible, call them “extra caramelized.” Let cool fully. Don't stack ’em too soon, or jam city.
- Slather jam on the bottom cookies, sandwich with the window-cookies, and give them all a good snowy dust of powdered sugar. Yep, this is messy. On second thought, maybe put some newspaper underneath. Enjoy the fingerprints.
A Few Notes/Things Nobody Tells You
- If the dough fights back when rolling, smack it with the pin (kidding—give it another five minutes to rest on the counter).
- Window cookies bake a bit faster (they’re skinnier). Rotate trays or swap racks if your oven’s like mine (hotter than a July sidewalk in spots).
- Powdered sugar always gets everywhere. It’s part of the fun; just don't wear black.
Things I’ve Tried (Some Win, Some… Less So)
- Subbing hazelnuts for almonds? Really tasty—sort of Nutella-vibes, especially with a chocolate spread instead of jam (I may never live that down with my aunt’s crowd, though)
- Using orange marmalade: Not my best move; a bit too bitter for the crowd. But maybe you’ll love it?
- Gluten-free flour: Actually, it works if you add an extra tablespoon of egg. Just don’t skip chilling, or these will spread like nobody’s business.
What You Need (and What You Don't... Really)
- Mixing bowls (big-ish)
- Electric mixer (or strong arm—blokes who lift grocery bags for sport will manage)
- Rolling pin (wine bottle in a pinch, just make sure it’s not slippery—I’ve made that mistake before; almost lost a batch to the floor)
- Cookie cutters (or a small glass and a bottlecap, as mentioned—improvise, it's fun)
- Baking sheet and parchment paper (or grease the tray, but cleanup’s stickier)
How Long Do They Last?
Technically, in an airtight box, Linzers keep for about a week if you keep them cool and dry. Honestly, in my house they barely make it through movie night (my dad’s a cookie thief). You can also freeze the un-sandwiched cookies and fill with jam later—makes them less soggy after thawing!
How We Eat Them (Or: Cookie Traditions)
I always set out Linzers with hot chocolate, and—because my mum insists it offsets “all that sugar”—a pile of orange slices. If I’m feeling fancy, I serve them on my slightly chipped Christmas plates. Sometimes we take them next door for the neighbours; nobody’s ever turned them down. They look all dressed up with that little jam window, don’t you think?
Lessons From (Cookie) Experience
- One year, I tried to skip the chilling step because I was in a rush. Bad idea. My cookies looked like modern abstract art (not in a good way).
- Lining the baking sheets is worth it. Once, I didn’t, and extraction required a spatula and strong language.
- Too much jam = jam lava. Just a spoonful is plenty. Or, if you're me, slightly more and a sticky kitchen.
Your (Actually Real) Linzer Cookie Questions
- Can I make the dough ahead? Oh, totally. In fact, I think it’s even better after resting overnight. You can even freeze it, thaw overnight in the fridge, roll, and boom—ready to go.
- Can I use other nuts? Yup! Hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts—I’m not picky though almond’s tradition. Just make sure they’re ground fine.
- What’s the best jam? Raspberry for tartness and colour, but you do you! If you want homemade, there’s a great walkthrough here on Serious Eats.
- Is a mixer essential? Nah. Strong arm and a spoon is probably what my gran would have done! But your wrist may ache a bit more.
- My cookies are breaking as I fill them? They might be too thin, or maybe not cooled all the way. Don't sweat it—just make bonus snack pieces for the chef (you).
- Do I have to dust with sugar? Of course not! Sometimes I skip it if I’m feeling wild. Or use coloured decorating sugar for extra sparkle.
Anyway, if you run into hiccups, know that I’ve probably done worse—burnt bottom, smeared jam, and even, once, half the dough on the floor (thank goodness for the 5-second rule). But that all just adds to the Christmas cookie lore, if you ask me. Happy baking, mate!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely ground blanched almonds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup raspberry jam
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
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1In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla extract.
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2In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
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3Divide the dough in half, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
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4Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut half the dough into rounds and the other half into rounds with center cutouts.
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5Place cookies on lined baking sheets and bake for 12–15 minutes, until edges are golden. Cool completely.
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6Spread raspberry jam on the flat side of each whole cookie, then top with a cutout cookie. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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