Makes: 24 cookie sandwiches
Bake: 350°F for 10-12 minutes

Linzer cookies originated in Linz, Austria (the home of the famous Linzertorte and many other desserts).  They are not individual cookies as the name suggests but a “single” cookie (Sandwich cookie) made with almond meal and preserves / jam / jelly / conserves sandwiched between 2 cookies. The top cookie has a small window / cutout to showcase the jam in the middle.

Traditionally in Europe, almonds and currant preserves are used. But raspberry preserves are a popular version in the USA.  A crispy cookie that gets delicately crisp and slightly softer upon storage, what with the jam inside. They may also be dusted with confectioners’ sugar.  Any other nut or jam may be substituted.

My little son (A) whom I have dubbed as the “cookie monster” loved these and so did my DH (B) who loves almonds.  As for me, sit down with a couple of these on the porch with a cup of coffee in your hand (on a rainy day, by the lake!).  Ha, relax!

All-purpose flour – 4.25 oz (1 cup)
Confectioner’s sugar – 1.35 oz (1/3 cup) + more for dusting
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Whole almonds – ½ cup
Almond Extract – 1 tsp
Unsalted Butter, at room temperature – 4 oz (½ cup)
Assorted jams / preserves – as needed

Soak almonds in hot water for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (350 F).  Drain and peel off the skin on the almonds. Wipe dry using a clean kitchen towel.

Spread the almonds on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted (the color should not change but you will get a faint toasted aroma, do not wait until fully toasted which takes about 10 minutes usually).  Remove from the baking sheet and let cool to room temperature.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.

In a food processor, combine the flour, confectioner’s sugar, salt, extract & blanched almonds. Whirl until the almonds are finely ground. Do not let the mixture get hot otherwise you will end up with a slightly oily mixture.  Sift this mixture to get a homogenous dry mixture.

With a wooden spoon, beat the butter until just soft.  Dump in the dry flour-nut mixture and work into a dough (just until combined – without flour streaks). Do not overwork the dough.  Pat into a disc and refrigerate for an hour or more until the dough is cold to work with.

Working quickly, roll the dough between parchment sheets to about 1/8^th of an inch thick. Cut 2-inch shapes for top & bottom cookies and place them on the prepared baking sheets (an inch apart from each other).  Cut out “windows” or little shapes along the center of the top cookies. You can rework the scraps just ONCE to make more cookies.

If you find the cookie dough slightly softer, refrigerate the baking sheets for 15 more minutes.

When the dough is chilled well, return them to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden. Cool the sheets on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove each cookie from the sheet and transfer to wire racks and let cool to room temperature.

With a small fine mesh strainer, sprinkle the top cookies with confectioner’s sugar.

Spread about 1.5 teaspoons of the preserve / jam in the center of each of the bottom cookie and gently cover with the top cookie so that the jam peeks out through the little “window”.

I used homemade Strawberry preserves and Satsuma Marmalade for the filling – the recipes coming soon.