These Homemade Raspberry Linzer Cookies have the lightest, buttery shortbread cookies with raspberry jam stuffed in between. Topped with powdered sugar and easily customizable based on the season, these cookies are a a festive addition to any table! They are no chill, made with 7 ingredients, and are seriously addicting!
What Are Linzer Cookies?
- Butter-based cookies that are melt-in-your mouth soft.
- Cutout center that is customizable based on season or celebration!
- Customizable filling of any of your favorite jams!
- Easy-to-bake treats made in 30 minutes with simple ingredients and approachable techniques.
Raspberry Linzer Cookie Ingredients
All Purpose Flour: Simple, plain, white all purpose flour is the way to go with these cookies. The most important part of these cookies might just be measuring the flour correctly. To do this, use a kitchen scale or use a spoon to scoop and carry the flour into your measuring cups before using a knife to sweep and level the flour off of the tops of the measuring cups.
Powdered Sugar: Using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar in these cookies creates a softer, lighter, and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Salt: Salt brings out the sweetness in these cookies and truly enhances the flavor.
Unsalted Butter: You'll need room temperature butter. This means the butter will be slightly soft to the touch, cool, and slightly shiny. The butter should not be cold and firm nor should it be melted or softened whatsoever.
Egg Yolk: These Linzer Cookies call for just an egg yolk... not the whole egg. Adding an egg yolk adds chewiness without adding too much moisture. Do NOT add the entire egg.
Vanilla Extract: Considering these cookies have just a few ingredients, vanilla extract is even more important. It creates the flavor in these cookies, so do not leave it out!
Jam: Whatever jam flavor you are using, make sure it is seedless and has no chunks of fruit. I think raspberry pairs really nicely with these cookies, but you are free to use whatever you like and whatever you have!
Step by Step Process
*PLEASE READ RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR FULL INSTRUCTIONS*
- Beat unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract to the butter, mixing on medium speed until fully combined.
- Add flour, powdered sugar, and salt to the mixture. Beat on low speed, using a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are properly incorporated.
- Roll the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll the dough to be about ⅛ inch in thickness.
- Cut cookies using a 3 inch cookie cutter, cup, or a knife.
- Use a linzer insert, backside of a piping tip, or a knife to cut out a portion of the center of half of the dough rounds.
- Bake the cookies, making sure to bake the cookies with the center cut out for a shorter amount of time.
- Allow the cookies to cool.
- Top the cutout cookies with powdered sugar using a sifter.
- Heat jam, transfer to a piping bag or Ziploc bag if desired, and place about ½ tablespoon of jam in the center of the full cookies.
- Top each of the full jam cookies with one of the powdered sugar cutout cookies.
FAQ
Yes! You can freeze these Raspberry Jam Linzer Cookies. I recommend freezing them before filling them or topping them with powdered sugar for best results. Simply place the unassembled, undecorated cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 4 months.
Linzer cookies are soft butter-based cookies with flour, powdered sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, salt, and butter!
Traditionally, the filling of a linzer cookie is a smooth jam. You don't want any fruit pieces, as the texture of the cookie will change and the cookies may not stick together as easily.
Expert Tips & Tricks
Measure Properly: With just a few ingredients in these cookies, it's important to make sure each is added properly. Specifically, measure your flour precisely by using a kitchen scale or by spooning flour into your measuring cups and using a knife to sweep across the top to level the flour.
Reroll Once: Only reroll the dough once if possible after you cut out your first cookies. If you reroll the dough more than once, you will risk the cookies becoming harder and drier.
Allow the Jam to Set: If you have a little extra time, allow the jam to set on the full cookies for about an hour before placing the cutout cookies on top. This will help the cookies stay together better, keep the jam from spilling over the sides, and make serving and storing easier and cleaner!
Related Recipes
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Raspberry Jam Linzer Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies, Raspberry, Fruit, Cookie
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Homemade Raspberry Linzer Cookies have the lightest, buttery shortbread cookies with raspberry jam stuffed in between. Topped with powdered sugar and easily customizable based on the season, these cookies are a a festive addition to any table! They are no chill, made with 7 ingredients, and are seriously addicting!
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ¾ cup (165g) unsalted butter
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (245g) all purpose flour
- ¾ cups (90g) powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Filling + Topping
- ½ cup (180g) raspberry jam
- 1-2 tablespoons (8-15g) powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure the cookies come off of the pan cleanly after baking.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer that is fitted with a paddle attachment, beat room temperature butter on medium speed until smooth.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla to the butter and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl and continue mixing to ensure the ingredients combine properly.
- With the mixer on low speed, add all purpose flour, powdered sugar, and salt to the batter. Mix on low speed until combined. The mixture will look extremely dry as it comes together. Be patient and continue mixing, but do not mix past when the dough comes together and all of the dry ingredients disappear.
- Roll the dough onto a floured surface or baking mat using a rolling pin or wine bottle. Roll the dough to be about ⅛ inch in thickness.
- Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter or a cup and knife, cut the dough into circles. Combine the leftover scraps into a ball and repeat the process of rolling out the dough and cutting it. Only re-roll the dough once for best results. You should have about 36 circles of dough.
- Using a linzer cookie insert, backside of a piping tip, or a knife, cut a portion of the center out of half of the dough circles.
- Ensure that full cookies and cookies with the centers taken out are baked on separate baking sheets, as the cookies with a cut-out in the center will require less baking time.
- Bake cookies for 9-12 minutes until the cookies are light on top and just starting to turn light golden brown around the edges. The bottoms of the cookies should look golden in color when lifted from the pan with a spatula.
- Allow the cookies to cool before decorating and assembling.
For Assembly and Decoration
- Place the cookies with the cut-out centers on a piece of parchment paper, paper towel, or baking sheet. Place powdered sugar into a sifter and sift over the cookies.
- Microwave the jam for 10 seconds or heat in a small saucepan until smooth. Transfer the jam to a piping bag, parchment triangle, or Ziploc bag with the corner cut off for ease.
- Pipe about ½ tablespoon of smooth jam into the center of each of the uncut cookies. Try to keep the jam as close to the center as you can to prevent the jam from spilling out the sides.
- Top each of the jam-covered cookies with one of the powdered sugar cut-out cookies. Allow the cookies to set if possible. Store at room temperature tightly covered or in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Cookies will soften over time.
Keywords: Raspberry Cookies, Jam Cookies, Linzer Cookies
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