These adorable raspberry Linzer cookies bake up beautifully, and are buttery, perfectly sweet, and filled with tart raspberry jam.

How to Make These Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Let’s walk through each step of this recipe to make sure it turns out as amazing as possible!

I’ve also shared a video tutorial on how to make them below, along with the tools I used. If you don’t have all of these on hand, feel free to get creative and work with what you’ve got!

Tools / Equipment

• Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
• 2 Large baking sheets /cookie trays
• 1 1/2 inch Scalloped circle cookie cutter
• 3/4 inch Heart cutter

Step 1: Make the Shortbread Cookie Dough

The first step is to make the shortbread cookie dough. Follow the recipe card at the bottom of this post to make the dough.

Then divide the dough in half and wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap.

Chill the dough in the fridge for about 45 minutes If you need to chill the dough overnight, let it sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes before trying to roll it out.

This will make it easier to roll out!

Step 2: Roll and Cut Out the Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 F / 175 C for about 30 minutes before you plan to roll out the dough and line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.

Take one piece of dough out of the fridge, leaving the other in there to continue to chill. Unwrap the cookie dough and lay the plastic wrap out flat on your counter.

We will be rolling out the cookie dough on the plastic wrap to make cleanup a breeze and to make it easier to cut out the cookies. Dust both sides of the cookie dough and your rolling pin with flour.

Roll the chilled dough to be 1/8 inch thick (I use these bands on my rolling pin to make sure I get the thickness just right). If the dough cracks/splits a bit as you roll it out, don’t worry! It will come back together as you roll it out and you can cut the cookies out around any big splits.

If the dough is too soft to pick up the cut-out cookies, lift the entire sheet of cookie dough with the plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to let it firm up.

Cut out 2-inch scalloped circles with a flour-dusted cookie cutter. If you don’t have a circle cutter that size, use a round glass that’s similar in size.

Use a 3/4-inch heart or circle cutter to remove the centers from half the cookies. Save the dough from the centers to be rolled out with the next piece of dough.

The cookies will spread a little bit as they bake, so place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets

Step 3: Bake the Cookies

Bake one sheet of cookies at a time. Bake for 9-10 minutes on the middle rack of your oven (bake time can vary based on the size of the cookies).

Keep a close eye on the cookies and pull them out before the edges start to brown.

Let the baked cookies cool on the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

While the first batch bakes and cools, knead together the cookie dough scraps, and rewrap them in plastic wrap.

Pop them back in the fridge to chill. Pull out the 2nd piece of chilled dough and repeat the steps above. Then repeat with the chilled dough scraps.

Step 4: Decorating and Filling These Linzer Cookies

Once the cookies have fully cooled, use powdered sugar to generously dust the tops of the cookies with the center cut-outs. I use a little duster like this, but any fine mesh sieve should work!

Then spread 2 tsp of jam on the center of each uncut cookie. Top with a cut-out cookie, squeezing a little to spread out the jam, and push it up into the cutout section.

Repeat with the remaining cookies, then enjoy! These can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Substitutions and Swaps – Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Now that we’ve covered how to make these cookies, let’s talk about the ingredients!

This recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have them all on hand.

Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered. Below are some swaps and substitutions that you can make.

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place (and omit the salt)!
• Granulated Sugar –  I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar as it will change the spread of these cookies.
• Almond Extract – The almond extract in this recipe is optional, but it really enhances the almond flavor of the cookies and pairs so beautifully with the raspberry jam.
• All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten-free flour blend if needed.
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch helps give these cookies a soft texture. If you don’t have any one hand it can be omitted, but your cookies won’t bake up as soft.
• Raspberry Jam – Use a good quality jam!! I use my Mom’s homemade raspberry freezer jam (same as this recipe, just with raspberries instead of strawberries) to fill these, but you can also use storebought jam or seedless raspberry jelly. Or feel free to fill these with any type of jam or curd! This recipe is also delicious with strawberry jam, lemon curd, or even orange marmalade.

How Many Cookies Does this Recipe Make?

This recipe can be used to make about 48, 2-inch sandwich cookies. The yield and bake time will vary based on the size and shape of the cookie cutter(s) you use.

This recipe can be halved to make fewer cookies (use half an egg yolk) or doubled if needed. However, if you want to make fewer cookies, I recommend making a regular-sized batch of dough and just freezing half of it for the future.

You can also make bigger cookies using larger cookie cutters if you want! I’d recommend baking them for a minute longer if you use a cookie cutter that is 3 inches or larger.

Tips for Making the Best Raspberry Linzer Cookies

• Liberally flour your counter before you roll out the cookie dough and move it around while you roll and cut the cookies.
• Really cream together the butter and granulated sugar in the first step of this recipe. It helps incorporate air into the dough which makes tender, soft cookies.
• Don’t overwork the cookie dough! It can overwork the gluten and result in tough and dense cookies.
• Roll the cookie dough out to a consistent thickness of 1/8 inch. If some are thicker or thinner than others, they may over or under-bake in the oven.
• Chill the cookie dough. It helps prevent your cookies from spreading while they bake and makes the dough easier to roll out and cut.
• Don’t overbake your cookies. Err of the side of underbaking your cookies and remember that the cookies continue to bake for a few minutes once they’re out of the oven.
• Feel free to fill these with any type of jam or curd! This recipe is also delicious with strawberry jam, lemon curd, or even orange marmalade.

Making These Raspberry Linzer Cookies in Advance and Storage Tips

You can store filled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature, or for up to a month in the freezer. Use a piece of parchment paper between the cookies if you plan to stack them on top of each other.

This cookie dough can also be frozen for up to 1 month if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. I like to move the cookie dough to the fridge the night before I plan to roll it out and bake the cookies.

Baked, unfilled cookies can also be frozen! These cookies last for up to a month if frozen in an airtight container. I recommend waiting to fill and dust them with powdered sugar until they’ve thawed to room temperature.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this recipe for raspberry Linzer cookies, I’d love to hear what you think! Please leave a rating and let me know your thoughts by sharing a comment.

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