When it comes to delicious Christmas cookies, these colorful and delicious vegan Linzer cookies need a place in your jar this year!
We think they are such an understated treat: they look super special and impressive yet need only a little love and a little time to make. Plus, the kids would love to help!
Linzer cookies are wonderful around the holidays but can also be gifted for Valentine’s day — just swap the stars for little hearts.
They are perfect with a cup of tea, hot chocolate, or coffee! Keep on reading to find out more.
What are Linzer cookies?
Originating in Austria, Linzer cookies are named after Linz, Austria’s third-largest city. They are also sometimes called “German Spitzbuben” and are like a shortbread sandwich cookie with a layer of jam in the middle.
The top layer is cut out so you can spot whatever jam is inside! Linzer cookies come in different shapes, from stars to hearts or little flowers.
Why you’ll love them
- Fun to make with the whole family
- Great gift idea
- Totally holiday-approved
- Easily customizable
- Melt-in-your-mouth delicious
Ingredients needed
- All-purpose flour (spelt flour or a similar baking flour works as well)
- Sugar (granulated or icing)
- Ground almonds (adding a festive touch)
- Vegan butter (essential for any shortbread cookie)
- Vanilla extract (great in any sweet baked treat)
- Jam (redcurrant, raspberry, and cranberry are our favorites)
- Icing sugar (for a snowy finish)
How to make vegan Linzer cookies
Make the cookie dough
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, and ground almonds, then stir to combine.
Add the cold vegan butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Next, add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of soy milk. Mix with a silicone spatula, then start kneading until you’ve created a soft dough. Add more soy milk as needed!
Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it with cling film. Refrigerate for at least an hour before continuing.
Create the cookies
Get half of the cookie dough from the fridge and keep the rest refrigerated. Flour a clean surface and a rolling pin.
Roll out the dough until it’s ⅛ inch / 3 mm thick. Cut out the bottoms of your Linzer cookies using circular cookie cutters. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Repeat with the leftover cuttings of the dough to make more cookies!
Place the cookie bottoms in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes until slightly golden around the edges. Let them cool completely while continuing to make the cookie tops.
Get the remaining cookie dough from the fridge and cut out the cookie tops. To do so, start with the same circular shape you used for the bottoms but add a little shape in the middle with a smaller cookie cutter. You can use stars, hearts, or rounds!
Place all of them on another baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. They also need to cool completely on the tray before creating the Linzer cookies.
Assemble the cookies
Dust the top halves with the shapes cut out in the middle with icing sugar.
Onto the bottom halves, place a small amount of cranberry jam right in the center.
Finally, sandwich them together by placing the dusted tops onto the bottoms! Press down gently to distribute the jam without breaking the cookies.
Tips & adjustments
- Don’t use too much jam, or it will spill out from the sides.
- Dust the cutters with flour to keep the dough from sticking to them.
- Be sure to add the icing sugar to the top halves before assembling the cookies; otherwise, the jam will look cloudy.
- Use your favorite dairy-free milk for this recipe.
- Don’t overwork the dough, and don’t skip refrigerating it!
Flavor ideas
Apart from cranberry, redcurrant, or raspberry jam, you can go for your favorite preserves! We also like plum, apricot, and strawberry jam.
Add a touch of lemon zest to the dough for a little twist! Vanilla extract can be omitted. If you don’t have almonds or can’t have them, replace them with more flour.
Prep & storage
These Linzer cookies keep well for a couple of weeks when stored in a cookie tin or airtight container at room temperature.
Make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to bake! It can be stored for 5 days in the refrigerator and even be frozen. Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling!
You can also bake the cookies ahead of time and store them until ready to assemble — perhaps together with the kids?
More recipes
Did you like this recipe? Share your thoughts in the comments below and leave a rating!
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking tray
- Mixing bowl
- Sifter
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup ground almonds
- ½ cup vegan butter chilled and diced
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-3 tablespoons soy milk as needed
- 4-5 tablespoons jam redcurrant, raspberry, or cranberry
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar
Instructions
Make the cookie dough
- Combine the dry ingredients for the dough in a mixing bowl: sifted flour, sugar, salt, and ground almonds.
- Add the vegan butter and rub it in using your fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs.
- Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of soy milk. Mix with a silicone spatula, then start kneading it into a soft dough. Add more soy milk as needed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and wrap it with cling film. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
Shape & bake the cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Remove half of the cookie dough from the fridge. Flour a clean surface and roll out the dough with a pin until it’s ⅛ inch / 3 mm thick.
- Cut out the cookie bottoms (circles) and place the cutouts on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Any leftover dough cuttings can be gathered and rolled out again to cut out more cookies!
- If the dough becomes too sticky to handle, place it in the freezer for a few minutes, then continue.
- Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven until slightly brown around the edges. Once they are done, let them cool completely on the tray.
- Get the remaining half of the cookie dough from the fridge and cut out the cookie tops: first, make the circle, then add the little shape in the middle with a smaller cookie cutter. We used stars!
- Place them on another tray and bake for 10-15 minutes. Let them also cool completely on the tray.
Assemble the cookies
- Dust the top halves of the cookies with icing sugar.
- Place a small amount of jam in the center of the bottom half of the cookies.
- Sandwich them together gently by placing the dusted tops onto the jam-containing bottoms. Press ever so slightly!
- Enjoy them with the whole family.
Notes
- Don’t use too much jam, or it will spill out from the sides!
- Make the dough in advance and keep it covered in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before rolling.
- Don’t overwork the dough, and don’t skip refrigerating it!
- Find more tips in the article above.
