Linzer Cookies are a popular cookie at Christmas time, but they really are delicious all year round. They are so beautiful and easy to make. Linzer cookies are a sandwich cookie that has a rich buttery tastes and usually sandwiched together with a good quality raspberry jam and topped with powdered sugar. Sometimes the dough is flavored with an almond flavor and sometimes even with the cardamom spice. It is easy to make these if you have a linzer cookie cutter set, but there are some tricks you can do with gadgets you have sitting around in your kitchen if you don’t have a linzer cookie cutter set.
I purchased a simple linzer cookie cutter set made by Cake Boss. You can buy linzer cookie sets at just about any kitchen store. Some will have a large shape like a heart with a matching smaller cut out with a mini heart. My set is a ruffled circle with a variety of different mini centers like hearts, circles, stars, etc.
You will need a good quality raspberry jam. A lot of people will choose seedless raspberry jam for more appealing look. In my opinion any good quality jam will work fine. Even though raspberry is the most popular jam to use, don’t be afraid to mix it up and use your favorite jam for a variety of colors on your plate. You will also need powdered sugar to coat the top of the cookie.
If you don’t have a linzer cookie set you can use a round cookie cutter or large biscuit cutter for the large cookie, and then use any mini cookie cutter for the center cutout. If you don’t have mini cookie cutters, use the smallest biscuit cutter you have for the center, or look around your kitchen drawers and look for gadgets that might work, for example, a apple corer will work perfectly for the center cut out.
Time to make the cookie. You want to chill the dough for at least an hour. This makes rolling out the dough much easier. When the dough is ready to roll out, generously flour a pastry mat or even just wax paper. Also generously flour the top of the dough too, so it won’t stick to the rolling pin. You want to cut out an equal amount of large cookies. Then take half of the large cookie cutters and cut a center out. Then bake for 12-13 minutes or according to directions. Allow cookies to rest on cookie sheet for 1-3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. I have found that these cookies are quite fragile so transferring to a paper towel lined counter keeps the cookies from breaking.
After cookies have completely cooled take the cookies that have the center cut out and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. If you have a sugar duster or sifter that is the easiest way to do this, but most people don’t have one of these. So what I do is take a metal strainer and add powdered sugar to it and just gently tap the sides allowing the sugar to dust the cookies evenly. It is easy to use and works quickly and saves your cupboard and drawers space for more gadgets.
Then take the cookies that do not have the center cut out and spread a layer of jam evenly across the entire cookie. Place the cookie with the center cut out on top of the jam covered cookie and wall-ah you have have a beautiful linzer cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Gluten Free Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups
[url href=”http://store.glutenfreemama.com/gluten-free-flours/” target=”_blank”]Mama’s Almond or Coconut Blend Flour[/url]
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum
- 10 Tbsp. butter or dairy free margarine
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. almond extract
- 1 egg
- Raspberry jam
- Powdered sugar
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and xanthan gum. Mix and set aside.
- In a stand mixer, cream butter until soft. Add sugar, vanilla and almond extract, mix well. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg and mix well.
- With mixer running on low speed, slowly add flour mixture until all mixture is mixed in well. Mix for about 30 seconds to combine well.
- Place dough onto large piece of plastic wrap or into small bowl. Cover tightly. Place in refrigerator for about 1-2 hours.
- Remove from refrigerator. Place on generously floured pastry mat or wax paper. Sprinkle top with flour roll out to between ⅛ and ¼ inch thickness. Gently remove cookie and place on ungreased baking sheet. Cookies can be place about 1 inch apart. Use smaller cookie cutter to cut center out of half of the cookies.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes. Allow cookies to rest on baking sheet for 1-3 minutes. Use a very sharp or thin spatula to remove cookie to cooling rack or paper towel lined counter. Cool completely.
- Spread jam evenly on cookies that do not have center cut out. Generously sprinkle cookies with center cut out with powdered sugar. Place those cookies on top of cookies with jam spread on them. Repeat.
- ©GlutenFreeMama
Mama Recommends
Gluten Free Mama’s Gluten Free Flour Blends, Mama’s Almond or Coconut Blend, Click Here
Linzer Cookie Cutter Set Click Here
Rolling Pin, Click Here
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