Traditional Christmas Linzer Cookies
Christmas Linzer cookies made in the traditional way with nuts, spices, and filled with jam. A delightful cookie classic to get you into the holiday baking spirit! This best linzer cookie recipe is perfect for a cookie swap, left out for Santa, for cozy nights, or to give away in holiday cookie boxes.
What Are Traditional Christmas Linzer Cookies?
Traditional Christmas Linzer cookies are my absolute favorite Christmas cookie on the market, and I make these every single year mostly because I am a sucker for any bakes with jam. But what makes these “traditional” versus regular linzer cookies? Traditional Linzer cookies are the cookie version of the Linzertorte which originated in the Linz region of Austria (more on that below!) which contains nuts, spices, and zest. Non-traditional cookies are just sugar cookies filled with jam which makes these Christmas cookies great to make with kids!
Christmas Linzer Cookies History:
To look at the history of the Linzer cookie, we must look at the history of the famous Linzertorte! The Linzertorte was created in Linz, Austria for a Countess in the 1600’s for a holiday treat. It was similar to a pie except it used a crisp, buttery shell using spices and almonds since nuts were easier to find than flour at the time. It is then baked with black current preserves with a lattice on top. The Linzertorte made it’s way into cookie form using the same three components of nuts, spices, and jam, and eventually made its way to America by German immigrants. Read more about it here!
Christmas Linzer Cookies Ingredients:
- Hazelnuts: Either chopped or whole skin on or skin off will work just fine for this nutty bake. I actually like skin on if the store has them because I like the look of the dark flecks in the dough and cookie.
- Jam: Your favorite fruit jam. Make sure it is a firm jam and not too liquidy or runny. If you use something that is too watery it will soak into your cookie and become soggy. If you love jam as much as I do then check out my other jamtastic desserts!
Major Allergens Present: Gluten, diary (butter), eggs, nuts
Equipment Needed
- Hand or stand mixer: Used to make the cookie dough using the creaming method. You will use the beaters for a hand mixer and paddle for a stand mixer.
- Linzer cookie cutters: Used to cut out the specific linzer cookie shape.
- Food processor: Used to grind up the hazelnuts to make hazelnut flour. Alternatively, you can use a ziplock bag and rolling pin.
How to Make This Easy Christmas Linzer Cookies Recipe
What are traditional christmas linzer cookies made out of?
Unlike non-traditional linzer cookies, which are just sugar cookies with jam, these traditional Christmas linzer cookies have some extra flavor to them. They contain hazelnuts, lemon or orange zest, baking spices, and your favorite jam which makes them less sweet and the best linzer cookies recipe out there. I always like to use funky jams than just regular raspberry or strawberry, but that’s just me! These are amazing Christmas cookies to make during the holiday season for cookie swaps, cookie boxes, or for Santa!
Make the best linzer cookie recipe Dough:
First step is making the hazelnut flour. I grind the hazelnuts with the flour because if you process just the hazelnuts, you will release the oils and run the risk of separation or creating a paste. Make sure the all purpose flour accompanies the hazelnuts in this process.
These easy Christmas linzer cookies use a basic creaming method. A creaming method is creaming together the butter and sugar until fluffy. This adds air into the dough formed by the sugar crystals slicing through the butter. Second, you add the eggs and extracts, and finally adding the dry ingredients and liquids (if any) alternately. Many cakes and cookies use this method and is a foundation for baking, so know this method well. The key is to continuously scrape the bowl and attachment(s) before and after each addition of ingredients. This ensures all the ingredients are playing together cohesively.
Roll the cookie dough:
Since this is a rolled cookie, the dough needs to rest for at least 30 minutes in the fridge. After the workout of forming a dough, the gluten needs a break before its next workout (rolling). To roll, dust flour on your surface and on top of your dough. With a rolling pin or similar object, roll by pushing out on all sides, and frequently move or turn the dough to prevent sticking. If it does start to stick, sprinkle a little more flour. Roll to a quarter of an inch thick and even. Run your hand over the dough and try to feel if any sections are thicker or thinner than ideal. You are ready to cut!
Make sure to reroll all the scraps including the centers you punch out! We don’t want to miss out on any of these yummy cookies.
Cut Out Cookies and Bake:
When cutting out the cookies you want to make sure you have a top and a bottom. Since the tops and bottoms are different you want to keep yourself organized to make sure you don’t have more tops than bottom and vice versa. Since you can always cut out a center vs put a center back, I will usually cut out the bottoms first then match the number with tops. Be aware that cookies may warp as you transfer them from the table to the sheet pan, so be gentle and maybe use a thin spatula.
These cookies do not spread, but that doesn’t mean to pack them close together! You still want about an inch to an inch and a half between cookies to promote even baking and coloring. Take them out of the oven when the edges turn light brown.
Sandwich and Finish the best Christmas Linzer Cookies:
Once the cookies have cooled down completely you can spread the jam and sandwich together. Use only a firmer jam or jelly because a runnier or more liquidy jam will create a soggy mess. Leave some room around the edges of the cookie so when you sandwich it does not leak out and create a mess. Check out my tips below for a cleaner, faster sandwiching experience! Dust with powdered sugar if you so please.
Help Making Traditional Christmas Linzer Cookies
How to Roll Out Cookie Dough:
- Flatten your dough first with your hands and work with dough in between fridge temperature and room temperature.
- Use a floured surface and don’t be shy to add more flour as you see fit especially when you start rolling. Dust flour on top of the dough as well.
- The dough is going to stick to the table no matter what. Make sure to be continuously moving the dough, running your arm under it, or simply turning it. While you’re rolling, if your dough doesn’t move it means it is stuck to the table. Get it unstuck, and dust some more flour to the table.
- Move the rolling pin in all directions and roll evenly which means don’t put pressure too much on one side of the pin. Since we’re just punching cookies, you don’t need to worry about the shape. Also, make sure you have the space to roll.
- To know if your dough is even, run your hands on top of the dough and feel which ares are thinner or thicker. If thinner, try to push the surrounding dough into (not onto) itself. If thicker, roll a little more.
How to Sandwich Linzer Cookies:
- I use a Tablespoon measuring utensil for both portioning out the jam and spreading. I measure about half a tablespoon onto the cookie without the window and spread using the back of the tablespoon.
- When spreading leave 1/4″ around the edges free of jam so when you sandwich it doesn’t sploodge (technical term) out the edges.
- If you use smaller or larger cookie cutters you will need more or less jam. Practice how much jam you will need by testing out the first 3-4 cookies. Once you know how much jam you need, you can get into a rhythm by portioning all, then spreading all, then sandwiching all.
- When sandwiching, do so gently with a light twisting motion to adhere.
Enhancing This Easy Christmas Linzer Cookies Recipe:
- Use a different nut like walnuts, almonds, or pecans.
- Use a different filling like chocolate ganache, Nutella, dulce de leche, or fruit/nut butters.
How Do You Store Jam Filled Cookies?
- Keep sandwiched cookies in an airtight vessel for up to 2 weeks. The cookie will start to soften after the first few days depending on how humid your environment is.
Troubleshooting Christmas Linzer Cookies:
- My cookies came out warped! The shape did not keep when transferring from your rolling table to the sheet pan. But this is okay! We all come in different shapes and sizes and are all still delicious (definitely not talking cannibalism here!). Next time, make sure you are working on a well floured surface so the dough doesn’t stick to your table when trying to remove.
- The cookies spread awkwardly in the oven! You did not mix the other ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar well enough. Those sploodges are the melted butter chunks that were not evenly homogenized into your dough. Next time, remember to scrape down the utensils, and bowl often!
- My jam is coming out the sides! You are over filling and filling too close to the edge! Lighten it up or be okay with messy cookies 🙂
Something else going wrong? Reach out and we will troubleshoot together!
Christmas Linzer Cookies
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
- Food processor
- Linzer cookie cutters
Ingredients
- 57 g Hazelnuts Whole, skin on, or chopped
- 175 g All purpose flour
- 108 g Butter, unsalted or 1 stick
- 100 g Granulated sugar
- 1 ea Whole eggs
- 1 ea Lemon or orange zest decide which will go better with your jam!
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon, ground
- ⅛ tsp Cloves, ground
- 1 pinch Kosher salt
- ½ jar Jam approximate
- ½ cup Powdered sugar approximate
Instructions
- In your food processor, grind the hazelnuts and flour together until fine. Alternatively, you can use a Ziploc bag and rolling pin if you lack a food processor.
- With your stand mixer and paddle or hand mixer and beaters, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and zest, and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and attachments.
- Add in the hazelnut/flour mixture with the spices and salt, and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and attachments and mix for another minute.
- Wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Flour a working surface, and roll the dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a 2" Linzer cookie cutter remembering you need both a top (with the window) and bottom (whole cookie). Reroll the dough until you use it all up, but make sure you have and equal number of tops and bottoms.
- Place the cookies on your prepared sheet pan about 1/2 inch apart and bake for 12-14 minutes rotating halfway through. The cookies should a light golden brown colors on the edges. Be careful transferring the tops; you don't want them to warp.
- Once the cookies are cooled down, spread with jam and sandwich. When spreading the jam leave about 1/4" ring around the edges. When you sandwich it will help prevent any leakages. Dust with powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Love love love that these aren’t the usual American sugar cookies with jam! Not too difficult to make either. The kids loved them!
Happy to hear you enjoyed making my Linzers with the kids 🙂
These were soooo good! I ate so many hahaha!
Loved that these had nuts and spices in them. I didn’t use enough flour when rolling out so they were a little warped but my kids did not care and devoured them easily!
This is my new absolute favorite cookie recipe! Cannot get over how delicious these are and how balanced the flavors are. Not too sweet, a little nutty…amazing! This is now a staple treat in our household!