Christmas Tree Linzer Cookies
These Christmas tree linzer cookies are festive, melt in your mouth, and easy to make ahead for all your holiday gatherings! Perfect for edible gifting or for adding to your Christmas cookie tray.
Suitable for vegetarian diets.
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This Christmas Linzer Cookies recipe is a fun twist on the classic Linzer cookie. With the fresh lime zest and juice, they have a refreshing burst of flavor that is a perfect combo with the sweet raspberry jam. And, the festive tree shape makes them a great addition to any holiday cookie tray.
Table of Contents
Why Are They Called Linzer Cookies?
Linzer cookies come straight from Linz, Austria, and they have some serious history behind them. These bite-sized gems take on the Linzer torte, one of the oldest cakes, dating back to 1653.
Think of them as delicious shortbread cookies, sandwiched with a layer of fruity jam. The top cookie has a cute cut-out, showing off that jammy goodness. Known as Linzer Augen (or Linzer Eyes) in Austria, these cookies are festive, tasty, and perfect for the holidays. Your edible gifting is covered with these!
So, if you need more cookies for Christmas in July or the real Christmas day, why not bake along and make these 15 Easy Christmas Cookies? But if you are in a rush, these no-bake Christmas Oreos Pops and Easy Christmas Light Cookies are fun too!
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour – This is what gives our cookies their perfect, crumbly texture.
- Salt – Just a pinch to balance the sweetness and bring out all those great flavors.
- Unsalted butter – Butter makes everything better! It adds that melt-in-your-mouth cookie goodness. Make sure it’s at room temperature.
- Superfine sugar – Smooth and sweet, it blends right into the dough.
- Egg – Helps hold everything together.
- Zest of one whole lime – Adds a refreshing, citrusy kick.
- Fresh Lime Juice – Boosts the lime flavor with a bit of tang.
- Homemade or store-bought Raspberry Jam – Adding that delicious fruity filling.
Handy Tip: Use Good Kitchen Tools!
For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.
How To Make Linzer Cookies
Get complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card further below.
Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F. Line your baking tray with parchment paper and set it aside. In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Set aside.
Step 2 – In a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar. Beat then add egg, lime zest, and lime juice. Beat then add the flour mixture to mix well to form the dough. Wrap it in cling wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Step 3 – Roll out the dough. Cut out Christmas tree-shaped cookies using a cookie cutter. Then, cut out the center of half of the cookies using a smaller version. Bake for about 12 minutes.
Step 4 – Let them cool completely before adding raspberry jam and assembling.
Bintu’s Tips
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. It helps everything blend smoothly for that perfect cookie texture.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. Let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour so it’s firm and easy to roll.
- Sift your flour and salt before mixing.
- Roll your dough to an even ¼-inch thickness. This helps your cookies bake evenly and look uniform.
- Use a big Christmas tree cutter for the main shape and a smaller one for the centers. Feel free to use different shapes if you want to mix it up!
- Bake your cookies for about 12 minutes. Keep an eye on them—you want them just starting to turn golden around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool completely before assembling. This prevents the jam from melting and making a mess.
- Don’t be shy with the raspberry jam. A thick layer makes for a delicious filling. Make sure to fill the cut-out centers with extra jam for a pretty finish.
- Be gentle when placing the top cookies with the cut-outs. They’re delicate and can crack easily.
Delicious Variations
- Different Jams – Swap out the raspberry jam for your favorite flavors. Try strawberry, apricot, or blackberry jam.
- Add nuts – Add finely ground almonds or hazelnuts to the dough.
- Add some spice – Add a pinch of cinnamon or ginger to the dough. These spices add all the holiday feels to the cookies.
Prep And Storage
- Prep Ahead – If you’re making them ahead, freeze the unassembled cookies and add the jam later.
- Store – Keep your cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- Freeze – You can freeze these cookies without the jam for up to a month. Add the jam when you are ready to enjoy them.
FAQs
Linzer cookies are made from all-purpose flour, salt, unsalted butter, superfine sugar, an egg, lime zest and juice, and raspberry jam.
Yes, you can refrigerate Linzer cookie dough overnight. Chilling the dough for an extended period helps it firm up, making it easier to roll out and cut into shapes. Just wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. If you need to stack them, place parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking.
Similar Recipes
- Pierniczki świąteczne – Polish Christmas Cookies
- Easy Christmas Shortbread Cookies
- Easy Christmas Light Cookies
- 15 Easy Christmas Cookies
- Easy Christmas Appetizers.
Serve With:
- Easy Crockpot Hot Chocolate – Dip your cookies in some warm hot chocolate.
- Mulled wine – Not a traditional cookie drink but a nice end to a meal.
- Instant Pot Eggnog – Such a nice complement of flavors.
Recommended Tools
- This set of measuring cups and spoons so you get the right quantities.
- A large mixing bowl for combing the cookie dough.
- A stand mixer to blend the dough.
- For the best tools to help make your recipe even easier and more successful, check out my collection of the Best Kitchen Tools on Amazon.
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Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) All-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup (113g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) Superfine sugar
- 1 Egg
- Zest of one lime
- Fresh lime juice (one whole lime)
- Homemade or store-bought raspberry jam as required
Instructions
Making the cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C / 350 degrees F and line your baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients – flour and salt together. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar and beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add in the egg, lime zest, and lime juice, and beat until everything is incorporated well.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter-egg mixture, mixing well to form the dough.
- Flatten the dough, wrap it in cling wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Once chilled, roll out the dough to ¼-inch thickness and cut out Christmas tree-shaped cookies using a Christmas tree cookie cutter. Then, cut out the center of half of the cookies using a smaller version of the same shape cutter.
- Place them on the prepared baking tray and bake for at least 12 minutes.
- Once baked, let them cool completely.
For assembling the cookies:
- Apply a thick layer of raspberry jam on the whole cookie, and place the corresponding cut-out cookies on top of it carefully.
- Using a spoon, fill the cut-out centers of the cookies with some more jam, if required.
Video
Notes
- Make sure your butter is at room temperature. It helps everything blend smoothly for that perfect cookie texture.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. Let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour so it’s firm and easy to roll.
- Sift your flour and salt before mixing.
- Roll your dough to an even ¼-inch thickness. This helps your cookies bake evenly and look uniform.
- Use a big Christmas tree cutter for the main shape and a smaller one for the centers. Feel free to use different shapes if you want to mix it up!
- Bake your cookies for about 12 minutes. Keep an eye on them—you want them just starting to turn golden around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool completely before assembling. This prevents the jam from melting and making a mess.
- Don’t be shy with the raspberry jam. A thick layer makes for a delicious filling. Make sure to fill the cut-out centers with extra jam for a pretty finish.
- Be gentle when placing the top cookies with the cut-outs. They’re delicate and can crack easily.
- Storage – keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month.
