Easy Linzer Cookie Recipe for the Whole Family!

Simple Nut Free Linzer Cookies Recipe.  Nothing says Christmas like good old fashioned Linzer Cookies!  Check out this yummy and simple to make recipe! Looking for other Holiday Dessert Recipes?  Also be sure to check out our Pumpkin Roll Recipe, and Pumpkin Pie Recipe!

The holidays are coming up, and so is the winter weather …

(Well, depending on where you abide!)

 

What perfect thing to do on an icy, foggy day than to bake some beautiful, delicate, tangy and crunchy star shaped Linzer cookies!

 

They don’t even have to be start shaped –

They DON’T even have to have raspberry filling like these!

Lemon, Strawberry, Blueberry, Cherry, Orange, Currant, Jalapeno – What?

You name it! Really any flavor of jam or preserves you desire, store bought, home made, however you like!

I like to put a little lemon zest on top of the raspberry filling … Feel free to be creative!

AND, These are SIMPLE.

Working with the dough is the only hard part, but not if you follow these handy tips!

(From my Grandma! A.k.a. Gram)

Don’t handle the dough too much!

Work quickly.

(I was also 7 when I received these two tips.. So maybe this one is just applies to 7 year olds…!)

Use parchment paper- after halving the dough, sandwich one half between two pieces of parchment, roll out evenly to a little less than a quarter inch (Give or take according to your preference!)

Flash the dough in the fridge or freezer AFTER cutting-IF you put the dough in the fridge and THEN try to roll it out, it will be a lot more of an arm work out!

So Peel the top layer of parchment off, cut your cookies, THEN throw the dough in the fridge- or even the freezer but not too long. When you pull it out, the cookie cut outs will be MUCH easier to handle.

When you pull the dough out of the fridge:

 

You can either keep the cookie cut outs on the parchment while removing the surrounding dough (I use a skewer to do this) THEN put the parchment paper with the just the cookie cutouts onto a baking sheet and bake it just like that.

 

OR- You can instead remove the cookie cutouts and place them on a separate baking sheet lined with parchment, using a butter knife, metal spatula, whatever works!

Step by Step Simple Nut Free Linzer Cookies Recipe

Makes about 2 dozen sandwich cookies

Simple sugar cookie dough:

  • 1 Egg
  • 1 cup White granulated sugar (I like to use a natural brand that is slightly off white)
  • 1 cup Softened butter (unsalted)
  • 1-1\2 Tsp Vanilla extract (You can use 1 tsp vanilla and 1\2 tsp Almond if you prefer)
  • 3 cups All purpose flour
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1\2 Tsp Salt

 

Filling – topping

  • 12-16 ounces of Raspberry preserves, or a different filling of your desire!
  • Juice of 1\2 Lemon – Or about 2 tablespoons (Lemon goes great with Raspberry and most fruit preserves)
  • 1\2- 1 cup Powdered sugar
  •  

Sprinkle garnish:

  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1\2 Tablespoon white granulated sugar

Materials:

  • Rolling pin
  • Parchment paper (or you can just use a floured surface, but parchment makes life easy- I use one sheet multiple times during baking)
  • Spatula or butter knife, Icing bag, plastic ziploc bag, or spoon (For filling)
  • Star shaped (or any other shaped) cookie cutters, as long as you have a big one and a little one of the same shape, or you could choose one shape and do just a simple circle cutout in the middle.

 

Shape, size, flavor – it’s up to you!

Ok. Here we go!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, then get back over here~

First start with the dough:

In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until smooth, about 2-3 min.

You can do this with an electric mixer or by hand (If you’re like me and still need to get one of these life changing contraptions.

Then, beat in the egg and vanilla extract, and almond extract if you are using it.

In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend flour with baking powder and salt, using a whisk or even a fork, or your mixer.

THEN- Adding a little at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. mix the dry ingredients in all the way before adding more- until a tough dough is created.

If the dough is a little dry, simply knead it right on your work surface with wet hands.

Once the dough is mixed, get your sheet of parchment ready, making it about the size of your baking sheet.

Empty the dough from the bowl onto the center of the parchment paper, and then shape the dough into a ball, (Doesn’t have to be perfect!). You can use the parchment paper to gather the dough into a ball rather than using your hands if you like.

Once you have your ball, cut it in half, (or quarters if you prefer)quickly shape into a ball and roll out between to pieces of parchment, or just on a floured surface (if you’re fresh out of parchment!) Roll out to a little less than 1\4 inch, depending on your preference.

 

The fun part begins!

Cut your cookies, using just your bigger cookie cutter shape for now. Cut as many as you can. Then, count how many you have cut, and cut out the middle of HALF of them with your smaller cookie cutter shape.

That way you won’t be left with too many tops of bottoms – nobody wants that!!!!

Before removing the extra dough from around your cut outs, throw them in the fridge or freezer briefly- When you take them out they will be much easier to handle and move around without breaking or sticking.

Some time-tested tips on how to handle the dough (From my grandma!) can be found in the beginning of the recipe!

When you have your cut outs ready on your baking sheet lined with parchment, throw them in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, or as many as 10 depending on your oven.

While they are baking, prepare the next batch. You will probably make a few batches before all the dough is used up.

Once the cookies are cool- make sure they are cool before filling them!

Take all of your tops and spread them out on parchment, baking sheet or just on the counter.

Dust powdered sugar all over them! Use a mesh strainer for a nice even dusting or just your fingers. Make sure you are getting all of the cookie tops, dusting as lightly or as heavily as you like.

Then, line up your bottom cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Mix your preserves with the lemon juice, and spread or squeeze on the center of the cookie, not going all the way to the edge of the cookie, but almost!

Then carefully place the tops dusted with powdered sugar on TOP of the bottoms spread with the filling.

MIX your lemon zest with the sugar, and sprinkle that right in the center of the cookie on top of the filling, or add any other special touches that you want!

Bake these for just 5 more minutes to set them, then let  cool all the way before boxing them up as a gift, plating them for dessert, or simply just enjoying with a cup of milk or tea!

If you love this recipe, please pin this image to your Holiday Pinterest Board:

 

Simple Nut Free Linzer Cookies Recipe

Simple Nut Free Linzer Cookies Recipe
Easy Linzer Cookie Recipe for the Whole Family!

Simple Nut Free Linzer Cookies Recipe.  Nothing says Christmas like good old fashioned Linzer Cookies!  Check out this yummy and simple to make recipe!

Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • SIMPLE SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 cup White granulated sugar (I like to use a natural brand that is slightly off white)
  • 1 cup Softened butter (unsalted)
  • 1-1\2 Tsp Vanilla extract (You can use 1 tsp vanilla and 1\2 tsp Almond if you prefer)
  • 3 cups All purpose flour
  • 2 tsp Baking powder
  • 1\2 Tsp Salt
  • FILLING
  • 12-16 ounces of Raspberry preserves, or a different filling of your desire!
  • Juice of 1\2 Lemon - About 2 tablespoons (Lemon goes great with Raspberry and most fruit preserves)
  • POWDERED TOPPING
  • 1\2- 1 cup Powdered sugar
  • SPRINKLE GARNISH
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1\2 Tablespoon white granulated sugar

Instructions

    1. FIRST START WITH THE DOUGH. In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until smooth, about 2-3 min.You can do this with an electric mixer or by hand.
    2. Then, beat in the egg and vanilla extract, and almond extract if you are using it.
    3. In a medium bowl, thoroughly blend flour with baking powder and salt, using a whisk or even a fork, or your mixer.
    4. THEN- Adding a little at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. mix the dry ingredients in all the way before adding more- until a tough dough is created. If the dough is a little dry, simply knead it right on your work surface with wet hands.
    5. Once the dough is mixed, get your sheet of parchment ready, making it about the size of your baking sheet, or flour a surface.
    6. Empty the dough from the bowl onto the center of the parchment paper, and then shape the dough into a ball, (Doesn’t have to be perfect!). You can use the parchment paper to gather the dough into a ball rather than using your hands if you like.
    7. Once you have your ball, cut it in half, (Or quarters if you prefer) quickly shape into a ball and roll out between to pieces of parchment, or on a floured surface.
    8. Roll out to a little less than 1\4 inch, depending on your preference. Cut your cookies, using just your bigger cookie cutter shape first. Cut as many as you can.
    9. Count how many you have cut, then take HALF of them and cut out the middles with your smaller cookie cutter shape.That way you won’t be left with too many tops of bottoms.
    10. Before removing the extra dough from around your cut outs, throw them in the fridge or freezer briefly- When you take them out the dough will be much easier to handle and move around without breaking or sticking.
    11. When cut outs are ready on your baking sheet lined with parchment, throw them in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, or as many as 10 depending on your oven. While they are baking, prepare the next batch.
    12. Make sure cookies are cool before filling them! Take all of your tops and spread them out on parchment, baking sheet or just on the counter.
    13. Dust powdered sugar all over them! Use a mesh strainer for a nice even dusting or just your fingers. Make sure you are getting all of the cookie tops, dusting as lightly or as heavily as you like.
    14. Then, line up your bottom cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
    15. Mix your preserves with the lemon juice, and spread or squeeze on the center of the cookie, not going all the way to the edge of the cookie, but almost!
    16. Then carefully place the tops dusted with powdered sugar on TOP of the bottoms spread with the filling.
    17. MIX your garnish, mixing lemon zest with the sugar, and sprinkle that right in the center of the cookie on top of the filling, or add any other special touches that you want!
    18. Bake these for just 2-3 more minutes to set them, then let cool all the way before boxing them up as a gift, plating them for dessert, or simply just enjoying with a cup of milk or tea!

Notes

TOOLS

  1. Rolling pin
  2. Parchment paper (or a floured surface, but parchment makes life easy- sheets can be reused!
  3. Spatula or butter knife, Icing bag, plastic ziploc bag, or spoon (For filling)
  4. Star shaped (or other shaped) cookie cutters, as long as you have a big one and a little one of the same shape, or you could choose one shape and do just a simple circle cutout in the middle.

Here are some helpful links for Linzer Cookies:


 

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THANKS FOR READING OUR RECIPE FOR Linzer Cookies!