The name, Linzer came from Linzer torte (type of cake), which is an Austrian torte/tart originated from Linz, Austria. This cookie is crisp if serves on the same day it assembles, and it can also be soft when stored with filling.

Similarly Linzer cookies use the same recipe as Linzer torte but presented in cookie form. It is a cookie sandwich, the top of the cookie is dusted with confectioners sugar, has a cutout so the preserves are visible. (known as Linzer eyes or Linzer Augen) While the traditional cutout is circular, all sorts of shapes, such as hearts, are also popular. Information from this site.

Linzer cookies are short bread cookies made with the combination of flour and nut mixture. Generally Hazelnuts or Almonds are used for this cookies. I have tried hazelnut shortbread for a tart recipe years back. Almonds are easily available and cheaper when compare to hazelnuts so i planned to use almonds in this recipe and I found almond based linzer ccokie here and followed the recipe.

Short bread cookies

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Cuisine: Austria
Makes:15-18 cookie sandwiches

INGREDIENTS:
Almonds (with or without skin)- 1/2 cup (Could use Hazelnuts too)
Sugar- 2 tablespoons
Butter, softened- 1/2 cup
Sugar, powdered- 1/4 cup
Egg yolk-1(Vegetarians replace with 3 tablespoons of milk)
Vanilla essence- 1/2 teaspoon
All purpose Flour/ Maida- 1 cup
Salt- 1/4 teaspoon
Cinnamon powder-1/4 teaspoon
Lemon zest- 1/2 medium lemon
Jam (Cherry/ Raspberry/Strawberry)- 1 teaspoon/ cookie sandwich
Powdered sugar/ Icing sugar- to dust on top- 3 tablespoons

Christmas Recipes

PROCEDURE:
  • You could use blanched or almonds with skin for this recipe. 
  • Roast/ toast the almonds in stove top or in 180 degree oven for about 6-8 minutes till slight golden colour and nutty flavour arises.
  • Cool the nuts completely and ground them in a blender jar with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. (Sugar is added to prevent to make the mixture to process as paste)
  • In a bowl beat the butter using electric beater or whisk till soft then add the powdered sugar and mix well.
  • Now add the vanilla essence and egg yolk and beat well to get a fluffy mixture. 
  • Now add the ground almond and mix well; set aside.
  • In a separate bowl take all dry ingredients; All purpose flour, salt, cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix well the dry ingredients using a whisk to mix uniformly.
  • Add these dry ingredients half a cup at a time into the almonds mixture and mix well.
  • Once the the whole lot is finished mix well and make as a round cookie dough.
  • Keep the dough in between two sheets of cling film or wax paper and roll the dough. then chill the cookie dough sheet and chill for about 30 minutes. (The dough is so soft and easily breakable so follow this method. You could chill the round dough and roll it with rolling pin directly too but making a big sheet in that method is difficult )
  • Cut the chilled cookie sheet using some cookie cutters. Transfer the cut cookies on a baking tray lined with wax paper.
  • Now cut the top of the cookie (do after transferring to the baking tray otherwise difficult to hold the shape) with a small cookie cutter to show the jam filling.
  • Chill the cut out cookies in refrigerator till you bake them.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees for 10 minutes and bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes till the edges of the cookies starts to become golden.
  • Separate the top and bottom of the cookies in separate plates/ sheets.
  • Spread some jam at the centre of the bottom cookies.
  • Cool the cookies and dust the top of the cookies with powdered sugar passed through a strainer.
  • Sandwich both the cookies and serve immediately if you like to eat them crunchy or store them and eat for softer cookies.
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Linzer Cookies

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