These beautiful Linzer cookies are delicious little treats that will melt in your mouth. They’re simple to make and perfect for sharing! Here’s how to make the easiest Linzer Cookies in 4 simple steps.
Looking for the perfect treat to share with someone you love? Here are a few of our favorites – Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls, Valentine Shortbread Cookies, and Mini Heart Cakes.
Easy Linzer Cookies
Since I’m pretty into food (as you may have noticed), I love making festive treats to celebrate various holidays. I usually use my favorite Linzer cookies recipe to make Christmas cookies, but I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter and some strawberry jam and made the perfect strawberry Linzer cookies for Valentine’s Day.
They’re simple and sweet shortbread sandwich cookies, with a little touch of strawberry jam and a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top.
I think the red color and the cutout heart shapes are fun and festive, but the truth is, these whole cookies are so versatile and delicious, you’ll want to make them year-round!
Here’s how:
Linzer Cookies Recipe
INGREDIENTS –
- 1 cup of shortening (I used 1 stick of Crisco Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Baking Stick
- 1 cup of sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of corn starch
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 cups of flour – I ususally just use all-purpose flour, but I’ve tried this recipe using 1 1/2 cups of all purpose and 1 1/2 almond flour and it tastes good too!
- 1/2 cup of strawberry jam (or any flavor of jam you’d like!)
- 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar
VARIATIONS –
- I used strawberry jam in this recipe, but you can use raspberry jam, black currant preserves, your favorite marmelade, etc.
- You can also sprinkle crushed/ ground nuts onto your jam. (Hazelnuts and ground almonds are delicious!)
- If you use any citrus marmelade, sprinkle some orange or lemon zest on top of the cookies after they cool with the powdered suger – YUM
INSTRUCTIONS –
MAKE THE DOUGH. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the shortening and sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla to the flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Add the corn starch, salt, and flour, and mix to form a thick dough. If your dough is sticky, add additional flour, a few tablespoons at a time.
CUT-OUT COOKIES. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, and cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Using a smaller heart cutter, cut a smaller heart out of the center of half of the cookies.
Technically, you could make these cookies in any shape you desire. However, there’s something so fun about a heart-shaped cookie!
LINZER COOKIE CUTTER SETS – These are the Linzer Cookie Cutters I used – they’re just regular metal cookie cutters but I’ve had them for years and they hold up well! I love the way the hearts look when I’m cutting out the dough.
BAKE. Place on prepared baking sheets lined with parchment paper and bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottom. Remove from the oven (leaving the oven on) and let cool for five minutes.
ADD THE JAM. Spread 1 teaspoon of jam on each of the full heart cookies. Top each cookie with a cut-out heart cookie. Return to the oven and bake for five minutes to set the jam.
SPRINKLE. As pretty as they are when they’re finished, a little dusting of powdered sugar makes them extra beautiful.
STORING – These cookies should be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can chill them in the refrigerator, but we recommend bringing them back to room temperature before serving.
These strawberry Linzer cookies are tender and buttery, and deliciously sweet. I love the contrast of tastes and textures between the cookies and the strawberry jam! They would be perfect as a Valentine’s Day dessert, or a sweet treat at a tea party or birthday party. I hope you’ll make them and enjoy them as much as we do!
HERE’S A PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE –
Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour, more as needed
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam, or whatever flavor you’d like!
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone liners, and set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add the corn starch, salt, and flour, and mix to form a thick dough. If your dough is sticky, add additional flour, a few tablespoons at a time.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, and cut with a heart shaped cookie cutter. Using a smaller heart cutter, cut a smaller heart out of the center of half of the cookies. Place on prepared baking sheets and bake 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottom.
- Remove from the oven (leaving the oven on) and let cool five minutes. Spread 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam on each of the full heart cookies. Top each cookie with a cut-out heart cookie. Return to oven and bake five minutes to set the jam. Let cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Nutrition
Other Notes
About how thick, would you say, you rolled the dough?