The Linzer cookies are delicious treats of Austrian origin but also widespread in South Tyrol: an almond shortcrust pastry, a bit of fragrance (I added vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon) and raspberry, currant, red currant jam that I could not find in any local supermarket so I used mixed berries jam. Buttery, fragrant, and delicious, the Linzer cookies are perfect for tea time.
Not to be missed
- Difficulty: Easy
- Rest time: 3 Hours 25 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: about 50 cookies
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 cup soft butter
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 lemon (zest grated)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- to taste red fruit jam
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Grater
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Perforated Baking Pan
- 1 Linzer Cookie Cutter
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 2 5-Millimeter Rolling Pin Spacers
- 1 Cooling Rack
Steps
In a bowl, mix with a whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, cinnamon, and grated lemon zest, then add the soft butter and slightly beaten egg. Work the mixture with a wooden spoon and then transfer it to a lightly floured work surface and continue to work with your hands to first form a ball and then a flattened dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for three hours.
After the resting time, roll out the dough to a thickness of 5 millimeters on the floured surface, using the rolling pin and spacers for precision. Cut out the cookies using the cutter: half whole for the base and in the other half cut out the stars, hearts, or butterflies according to the mold you prefer. Place the cookies on the perforated baking sheet (or on the baking tray lined with parchment paper) and let them rest in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes.
Preheat the oven to 338 °F and bake the cookies for 12/15 minutes or until the edges are golden. Remove from the oven, let stand for 10 minutes then transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
Sprinkle the cookies with the hole with powdered sugar. Spread the jam on the bases, close with the other half and serve.
Notes
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Recipe source: HERE.
Trivia
The Linzer cookies, like the Linzer cake, take their name from the city of Linzer. Originally, they were a bit different from the ones we know today. They called them Linzer augen, or Linzer eyes, because the top layer of the cookies had three small round holes. The original recipe used hazelnut flour and no spices, but as always, from the original version, there are often variants that are different but similar and travel close to our kitchens. I started from here but it does not mean that I will not try to make some other variants of these delicious little cookies.
