Jam Filled Shortbread Linzer Cookies

Delight in the buttery goodness of shortbread Linzer cookies, filled with sweet strawberry jam. These delicate treats feature a crisp, tender shortbread cookie paired perfectly with the vibrant flavor of strawberry jam, making each bite irresistibly delicious!

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• Ingredients You Need
• How To Make Shortbread Linzer cookies Filled With Jam
• Tips for best results
• Variations & Substitutions
• Recipe Questions
• More Shortbread Cookies
• Shortbread Linzer Cookies

Shortbread Linzer cookies, the jam-filled sandwich delights, are a holiday favorite inspired by the famous Linzer torte. These traditional treats feature buttery shortbread cookies filled with sweet jam, making them a must-have during the holiday season.

Linzer cookies are crafted from a unique shortbread dough that differs from typical cookie dough in both preparation and texture. This dough is more tender and crumbly, often enriched with ground nuts like almond flour, which adds a delightful depth of flavor to these melt-in-your-mouth treats.

These sandwich cookies are cut with cookie cutters or a special Linzer cookie cutter kit, which allows you to create plain shortbread cookies and shortbread cookies with a hole in the center that can be made in different desired shapes, such as a heart, a star, a round etc.

Filled with fruit jams, as in this recipe with strawberry jam, which can be replaced by any fruit jam or chocolate ganache, buttercream or caramel sauce.

Ingredients You Need

You need these ingredients to make these Jam filled shortbread linzer cookies:

Shortbread dough

• Flour: Use all purpose white flour. You can substitute it with another type of flour or a gluten-free flour mix if needed.
• Almonds: Optional, but adding finely ground almonds (like almond flour) gives a more tender texture and a rich flavor. You can also use other nut flour like hazelnut flour or just almond extract.
• Sugar: Use fine sugar, preferably powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), brown sugar for extra flavor, or simply granulated sugar.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces.
• Eggs: Make sure they're at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract and Salt: Essential for flavor, use liquid vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt to enhance the taste.
• Jam filling: Strawberry jam, raspberry jam, blueberry, apricot, fig, orange, etc.

How To Make Shortbread Linzer cookies Filled With Jam

Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the main recipe card below!

Step 1: In a large bowl, place the softened butter with the powdered sugar and beat with an electric whisk for 2 minutes until creamy.

Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla and mix again to incorporate.

Step 3: Finish with the dry ingredients, purpose flour, salt and baking powder (optional) and mix again with the electric mixer until smooth.

Step 4: Gather the dough with your hands to form a ball and cover with plastic wrap and place the shortbread dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

Step 5: Take the shortbread dough out of the fridge and on a floured surface roll out the dough with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 3 mm.

Step 6: Cut out the dough with biscuit cutters or special linzer cookie cutter. And with another mini cookie cutter remove the center on half of the shortbread, to get a shortbread cookie for the bottom and a shortbread cookie with a hole in the center for the top.

Step 7: Finish by placing your shortbread cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place the shortbread cookies in the freezer for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven.

Bake cookies

Step 8: Preheat the oven to 347°F / 170°C and remove your baking sheets containing the shortbread pieces from the freezer and bake the Linzer cookies in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes until they are lightly browned on the edges.

Let cool: Remove the baked cookies from the oven and allow it to cool slightly on the cookie sheet before carefully moving it to a cooling rack.

Step 9: Take a shortbread cookie and put a little jam in the center and cover with the shortbread cookies that have a hole in the center and press lightly to spread

Enjoy! Finish by sprinkling powdered sugar on all the cookies and enjoy!

Storage instructions

At room temperature: Shortbread sandwiches can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container away from humidity for about 1 week.

In the fridge: The jam-filled linzer cookies can be kept in the fridge for 1 week, placed in a storage box with a lid.

How to freeze them? Freeze linzer cookies up to 3 months in the freezer, the shortbread alone or with the filling. Let them defrost slowly out of the refrigerator.

Recipe Questions

What is the best type of jam to use for Linzer cookies?
The best jams are thick and less likely to run, such as raspberry, apricot, or strawberry preserves. Avoid using overly runny jams, as they can make the cookies soggy.

Can I make Linzer cookies ahead of time?
Yes! Linzer cookies can be made a day or two ahead. In fact, they often taste better after the flavors have had time to meld. Store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

How do I keep my Linzer cookies from spreading too much?
Chill the dough before cutting out the cookies and again before baking. This helps them maintain their shape during baking.

Why do my Linzer cookies look uneven after baking?
Uneven rolling of the dough can cause some cookies to bake faster than others. Use a rolling pin with guides or measure carefully to ensure an even thickness.

What can I use if I don’t have Linzer cookie cutters?
You can use any round cookie cutter and a smaller cutter for the center. If you don’t have a small cutter, use a bottle cap or a piping tip to create the cut-out.

More Shortbread Cookies

I hope you love these linzer shortbread cookies. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

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