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Strawberry Cardamom Linzer Cookies
I feel like Linzer cookies are super popular around Christmastime here in the States, and rightfully so! The combination of the rich, flavorful cookie and the sweet, fruity jam is one that just can't be beaten. For this particular Linzer cookie recipe, I added some cardamom to the cookie dough, which makes for a deliciously warm taste that pairs exceedingly well with the strawberry jam. And if you're feeling extra fancy, you can take these cookies to the next level by using a homemade jam!
What are Linzer Cookies?
Austrian Linzer cookies are two soft, nutty, buttery shortbread-like cookies sandwiched together with a jam that peeks out through the cutout in the top half. Linzer cookies are named after the Linzer Torte, a pastry that has a dough lattice over a jam filling that originated in the Austrian city of Linz.
Most Linzer cookies are filled with a raspberry jam, which balances out the nutty flavor from the almond flour in the cookie dough. However, as mentioned above, these particular cookies are filled with strawberry jam which compliments the cardamom in the dough perfectly. If you're new here, I'm kind of obsessed with strawberry and cardamom recipes.
Ingredients Needed for Linzer Cookies
These strawberry cardamom Linzer cookies are insanely easy to make; here's what you'll need:
- Butter: Unsalted butter is ideal here! If you only have salted butter, just reduce the amount of salt the recipe calls for to ¼ teaspoon.
- Powdered sugar: Using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar makes for a cookie that almost melts in your mouth from being so tender.
- Egg: Just 1 large (room temperature) egg is all you need!
- Salt: This helps to offset a little bit of the sweetness; don't leave it out!
- Cardamom & Cinnamon: The two ground spices that give these cookies such a lovely, warm flavor.
- Vanilla: I like to use vanilla bean paste. You can replace it with an equal amount of vanilla extract if that's all you have on hand.
- All-purpose flour: You'll need 2½ cups of flour, plus a little more to help roll out the cookie dough.
- Almond Flour: It gives a hint of nuttiness to the cookies and also helps keep them nice and soft.
- Strawberry preserves: If you're not big on strawberries, feel free to swap it for your favorite flavored jam/preserves!
Important Note on the Dough
The dough can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Note, however, that the dough will not be workable if it hardens up completely. Essentially, it should be firm and pliable but not hard. If you decide to chill the cookie dough for an extended period of time, just know that you'll need to let it rest on the counter for a bit before you can begin rolling and cutting out your cookies!
Serving & Storage
Serving: You can serve these cookies at room temperature or chilled. They're best within the first 3 days of being made. Note: After a day, the cookie tends to absorb some liquid from the jam, which makes them softer.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Recipe Troubleshooting & FAQ
Where did you get your Linzer cookie cutters from?
I purchased a set of linzer cookie cutters from Amazon and they worked great! You can use regular round cookie/biscuit cutters if that's all you have on hand, too. Just make sure the cookies are about 2-inches in diameter.
Can I make the Linzer cookie dough ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can make the dough in advance and store the raw dough for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer!
My cookies lost their shape in the oven. Why did this happen?
There are two reasons this could happen. One is that your dough is thicker than ¼-inch. Since you’re stacking the cookies, you want them super thin, so the cookie-to-jam ratio is just right. Any thicker than ¼-inch per cookie will yield a misshapen, potentially dry cookie.
If your cookie dough is rolled thin enough, but your cookies still lose their shape, then it sounds like the dough is just too warm. Try popping your raw cookies (on the baking sheet) back into the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the butter to firm up again, and then you won't have to deal with any more spreading!
Strawberry Cardamom Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- 227 g unsalted butter softened
- 180 g powdered sugar
- 1 large egg (≈ 50g)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 310 g all-purpose flour
- 95 g almond flour
- 170 g strawberry preserves
- Garnish: powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the egg, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture, beating until just combined. Using lightly floured hands, divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a ½-inch thick disc and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough out into a ¼-inch thick circle. (If the dough becomes too soft, rewrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm again.) Using a 2-inch cutter, cut the dough and place it about 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Using a 1-inch mini Christmas tree and/or star-shaped cutter, cut centers from half of the cookies. Reserve centers, and reroll with scraps once.
- Bake until edges are lightly golden, 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Spread about 1 teaspoon of jam onto the flat side of all solid cookies. Dust cookies with cutouts with powdered sugar, if desired. Place cookies with cutouts, flat side down, on top of jam and enjoy!
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