Linzer cookies are jam sandwich cookies that can be made anytime of the year. Two buttery sugar cookies with any flavor of jam layered in between, these babies are irresistible. Cut them out in any shape to celebrate any holiday or special occasion.
Everyone has an opinion on what their favorite cookie is. For me, I have never met a chocolate chip cookie that I didn’t like. Zero willpower, my friends. My daughter, on the other hand, is all about my easy oatmeal raisin cookies – a chocolate chip cookie lover’s biggest nightmare.
Then there is my chocoholic son who can devour a batch of my brownie cookies, while my eldest son has taken on the quest to find the best snickerdoodle recipe. But, all three of them agree that Christmas can not be Christmas without my gingerbread olive oil cookies.
Which brings me to my second favorite cookie combination, jam and cookies. Hello, Linzer cookies!
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Laura says :
Why this recipe works
- Versatile: You can use any jam you want, even lemon curd for the filling. And you can make these for any holiday or special occasion.
- Texture: This recipe uses the best sugar cookie recipe as the base. The result, buttery perfection where the cookies are tender on the inside and with just enough crisp to them. And they don’t fall apart when you bite into them!
- Flavor: Sweet buttery sugar cookies with your favorite jam in between… these cookies are pure heaven!
- Party cookie: Cut out hearts for Valentines Day, pumpkins for Halloween. And of course for Christmas, you can cut out little Christmas trees, gingerbread men or whatever you want. You can keep it simple and cut out little circles and enjoy.
Reader’s Reviews
“Excellent recipe. Simple to put together. Once I got the hang of cutting them out , it was easy. I received many compliments.” — Vicky
Ingredients needed
- Butter: Yes, I love baking with olive oil and I have a fabulous olive oil sugar cookie recipe in my olive oil cookbook. But this recipe uses butter for the fat and it is adds wonderful flavor.
- Egg: Large eggs are the standard in baking and is used in this recipe.
- Milk: I have substitute regular whole milk with almond milk to make these cookies and it turns out just fine.
- Fruit jam: You can use any variety of fruit jam for these sandwich cookies. Use homemade jam or store bought. I like to use a variety so your guests can choose from different colors or flavors.
- Powdered sugar: I use powdered sugar instead of flour when rolling the cookie dough. I also dust the top of the cookies with powdered sugar (which is optional).
- Pantry staples: All purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar and salt.
Step-by-step directions
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- Cream the sugar. Whisk butter and sugar until creamed and light yellow in color. Add egg and milk to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Add flour. Add flour, baking powder and salt and beat until dough starts to form and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
- Chillax. Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and work into a ball. Divide the dough in half, roll into a ball and press flat into a thick disc. Wrap each half in parchment paper and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Roll the dough. Sprinkle flat work surface with powdered sugar and place on disc of dough on top. I love my silicone pastry mat. Rub rolling pin with powdered sugar and roll out dough until ¼-½ centimeter thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking.
If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. If dough is sticky, roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper or two silicone baking mats.
- Cut out the cookies. Cut the dough into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on a baking sheet parchment paper or silicone baking mat. An offset spatula works great for this task. Use small cookie cutters to cut center out of half of the cookies. Collect the scraps of the dough, roll flat and cut out more cookies.
- Bake. Bake until cookie edges are just beginning to turn brown around the edges. The time will vary depending on how thick and how large the cookies are. Let the hot cookies sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then transfer using a small spatula to a cooling rack.
- Assemble. Once cookies have cooled completely, dust the cookies with the center cut out with powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve. You can also use these handy dandy powdered sugar shakers.
- Spread jam on the whole uncut cookies, making sure there is a nice blob in the center. Press the sugar dusted cut cookie over the jam cookie and let it sit for a bit so the jam can set and harden a little.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
The best part about these cookies is that you don’t need to make any royal icing or fuss with piping bags to decorate them. They are festive and fun on their own.
What jams to use. If you love baking cookies for the holidays, these beauties can be made all year long. The top of the sandwich cookie usually has a cut out so you can see the jam inside. So you can make heart cutouts for Valentine’s Day and use any red jam, like raspberry or strawberry rhubarb jam.
Cut out little pumpkins for fall or Halloween and use orange marmalade, peach jam or apricot preserves. Cut out skeletons or skulls and use a dark jam like blueberry preserves or blackberry jam.
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Want another jam cookie? Try my coconut thumbprint cookies!
Do I have to chill sugar cookie dough? One reason for chilled dough is to insure that the dough is stiff enough for rolling and doesn’t get sticky. Also, chilled cookie dough will hold its shape better in the oven while it bakes, which is important cut cookies.
This means sharp and crisp edges on your stars, Christmas trees, hearts and the likes. If you are cutting several trays of cookies and are waiting for the oven, store the trays in the fridge. And if your kitchen is hot from the oven or because of your weather, your cookie dough will soften faster and chilling it is more important.
Cookie cutters. The center cut out can also be whatever shape you want and whatever size you want. If you want more of the jam showing, using these large mini cookie cutters. I like the small peek-a-boo small cutouts and used these mini cutters. I got mine from the craft store in the polymer clay section.
These small cookie cutters are also great for cutting out designs using pie dough. So if you buy a set, know that you can use the for other baking fun, as well.
Variations. For extra flavor, you can add ½-teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the cookie dough. Instead of jam, you can also schmear my olive oil lemon curd between the two cookies. If you do this, grate a little lemon zest to the cookie dough.
If you use curd, the cookies will need to be refrigerated until you are ready to serve them. This would be fabulous for Spring or Easter themed cookies!
Once baked, place your jam cookies in a sealed container and store in a cool, dry cupboard. They can last like this a week. You can also freeze the finished cookies for up to 3 months. To thaw baked cookies, remove from the containers and let the cookies thaw at room temperature. This prevents condensation from forming, making the cookies soggy.
You can plan ahead for your holiday baking by freezing your cookie dough for up to 3 months. Just remember you need to thaw them out a little before you can roll out the dough, otherwise you’ll have some really tired arms and wrists from the attempt!
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Jam Sandwich Cookies (Linzer cookies)
Ingredients
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ cup powdered sugar divided
- ¼ cup jam any flavor
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Using a stand mixer, whisk butter and sugar until creamed and light yellow in color.
- Add egg and milk to the butter mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Put mixer on low speed, then gradually add flour mixture, and beat until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
- Place dough on a sheet of parchment paper and work into a ball. Divide the dough in half, roll into a ball and press flat into a thick disc. Wrap each half in parchment paper and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Sprinkle flat work surface with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and place on disc of dough on top.
- Rub rolling pin with powdered sugar and roll out dough until ¼ to ½-centimeter thick.
- Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. If dough is sticky, roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper or two silicone baking mats.
- Cut dough into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Use small cookie cutters to cut center out of half of the cookies. Collect the scraps of the dough, roll flat and cut out more cookies.
- Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookie edges are just beginning to turn brown around the edges. My cookies were a little thick, about ½-centimeter, and took 10-11 minutes for them to bake.
- Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then transfer using a small spatula to a cooling rack.
- Once cookies have cooled completely, dust the cookies with the center cut out with powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve.
- Spread jam on the whole uncut cookies, making sure there is a nice blob in the center. Press the sugar dusted cut cookie over the jam cookie and let it sit for a bit so the jam can set and harden a little.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
Excellent recipe. Simple to put together. Once I got the hang of cutting them out , it was easy. I received many compliments.
Hi Vicky-
I’m so glad you liked the cookies! Thank you so much for your kind words.
Laura