These iced cherry almond linzer cookies are as pretty to have a look at as they’re to eat, and there’s no particular cookie adorning expertise required. You need to use any small cookie cutters it’s a must to reduce the almond cookie dough into your selection of shapes, and the filling is solely store-bought cherry preserves. These stunning sandwich cookies really style finest on day 2, so that they’re an exquisite make-ahead vacation cookie choice.

Between the cherry filling and the candy icing on high, the style and texture of those linzer cookies really make me assume I’m consuming a elaborate pop-tart! These nutty almond linzers are crunchy proper out of the oven, however after icing the highest and sandwiching jam within the middle, they start to melt. The magic occurs on day 2 when the icing and jam settle into the cookies, making the entire sandwich cookie tender, mushy, and deliciously crumbly.

Why You’ll Love These Iced Cherry Almond Linzer Cookies

• Spectacular & stunning, with out requiring particular adorning ability (not at present, royal icing & piping suggestions!)
• Flavors of almond & cherry pair so properly, identical to in these cherry pie bars
• Save time through the use of store-bought cherry preserves/jam for the filling
• Simple 3-ingredient icing comes collectively in seconds
• Linzer cookie cutter set not required—you should utilize any small cookie cutters you could have
• Cookies’ style & texture are even higher the subsequent day, so this can be a nice make-ahead cookie choice

What Are Linzer Cookies?

Linzer cookies are historically made out of a nutty almond-based cookie dough. The dough is rolled out, reduce into shapes, and baked… identical to sugar cookies. Then the cookies are sandwiched along with a filling, normally a candy fruit jam. These festive, stained glass window-esque cookies are simply among the prettiest cookies round, particularly on vacation cookie trays.

Enjoyable truth: Linzer cookies originate from an Austrian deal with known as linzertorte, a kind of pastry stuffed with a fruit protect and topped with a lattice design.

I like linzer-style cookies, and have a number of varieties already revealed together with raspberry pistachio linzer cookies and caramel hazelnut linzer cookies. If in case you have a replica of my cookbook Sally’s Cookie Habit, you’ll discover a recipe for raspberry almond linzer cookies on web page 65.

Almond Linzer Cookie Dough

Right here’s what you might want to make these cookies:

You want entire almonds for this cookie dough, which you’ll grind down so they’re crushed. You don’t, nonetheless, need almond meal or almond flour as a result of each are too superb. You’ll be a lot happier with the ultimate cookie with the additional texture from the coarser items of nuts.

A small meals processor is useful for coarsely chopping the almonds:

I normally use brown sugar in linzer-style cookies. Right this moment, nonetheless, I selected common granulated sugar so it doesn’t take away from the almond and cherry flavors.

After that, the dough comes collectively simply with a stand mixer. Count on a thick, crumbly dough:

Refrigerate the Dough

Divide the dough in half. If in case you have a meals scale, it helps to evenly divide the dough. If you happen to don’t, nonetheless, that’s superb, too. Simply eyeball it. This dough weighs about 850g, so each bit ought to weigh about 425g.

Flatten each bit of dough right into a disc and tightly wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the 2 wrapped discs of dough for a minimum of 3 hours.

Just like this gingerbread cookie dough, when it first comes out of the fridge the dough will probably be actually arduous. Let it sit out for 10 minutes earlier than you begin to roll it out. While you first begin to roll it out, the sides might crack a bit, however as you’re employed it, the oils from the almonds launch a bit and it rapidly turns into extra workable.

Roll Out & Lower Shapes

I made a decision on a 3-inch tree-shaped cookie cutter (the smallest one from this set) for at present’s iced almond cherry linzer cookies, however you could possibly actually use any 2- to 3-inch cookie cutter for these. I really like these fluted-edge cookie cutters for a extra traditional linzer cookie look, which I take advantage of to make these raspberry pistachio linzer cookies and chocolate gingerbread sandwich cookies.

To make the cutout within the high cookie, so the filling exhibits by means of, you want one other cookie cutter that’s actually small—about 1 inch. You possibly can merely make a spherical middle gap, nevertheless it seems additional festive with somewhat star or coronary heart form. For the pictured cookies, I used the star from this linzer Christmas cookie cutter set.

What if I Don’t Have a Tremendous Small Cookie Cutter for the Heart?

If you happen to don’t have any cookie cutters that small, don’t fear! Attempt utilizing the top of a straw to make a small spherical gap within the middle, or use a small paring knife to carve a number of tiny holes (which might appear like pink ornaments on tree-shaped cookies!).

All of the cookies will probably be reduce with the bigger cookie cutter, however solely HALF will probably be reduce with the smaller one, for the highest cookies. So roll out your first disc of dough, leaving the opposite disc within the fridge for now. Lower out the cookies and bake. These are your backside cookies:

Then roll out your second disc of dough, reduce out the cookies the identical means as earlier than, however then use the small cookie cutter to make the little cutout form within the middle of every cookie earlier than baking. These are your high cookies:

Assembling These Iced Cherry Almond Linzer Cookies

As soon as the cookies have baked and cooled, it’s time to ice, fill, and sandwich them.

Usually, linzer cookies get a reasonably dusting of confectioners’ sugar on high. However I wished one thing totally different right here, and almond icing is simply SO GOOD.

For the icing, you want confectioners’ sugar, somewhat milk, and almond extract. You need the icing consistency to be semi-thick, so it’s not too runny. Dip every of the highest cookies into the icing, and let any extra drip off.

Set the iced high cookies apart to dry, and switch your consideration to the underside cookies.

For the filling, I used cherry preserves, however truthfully… any taste works. In case your cherry preserves are fairly chunky, you should utilize your small meals processor to offer them a number of pulses and easy out the feel, which is what I did. Pureeing it an excessive amount of leads to a too-thin sauce, although, so go simple.

Unfold about 1/2 teaspoon of cherry preserves onto the underside facet of every backside cookie, then gently place an iced high cookie on high to create a cookie sandwich. It’s superb if the icing hasn’t absolutely set but, simply maintain the cookies fastidiously by the sides.

Let the assembled iced cherry almond linzer cookies sit out for a number of hours for the icing to set, after which you’ll be able to stack and retailer them.

It positively takes a while to make and assemble these linzer cookies, however in the event you love the look of cut-out cookie cutter cookies, and don’t wish to go to the difficulty of adorning, these are a improbable—and simply as stunning—different. Plus, once more, they’re like a fancied-up cherry pop-tart. 😉

Print

Cherry Almond Linzer Cookies

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  Writer: Sally
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  Prep Time: 4 hours (contains chilling)
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  Prepare dinner Time: 12 minutes
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  Whole Time: 4 hours, half-hour
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  Yield: 22–25 3-inch sandwich cookies
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  Class: Cookies
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  Technique: Baking
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  Delicacies: American

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Description

These iced cherry almond linzer cookies are as pretty to have a look at as they’re to eat, and there’s no particular cookie adorning ability required. You need to use any small cookie cutters it’s a must to reduce the almond cookie dough into your selection of shapes, and the filling is solely store-bought cherry preserves. Take your time with these cookies, particularly when dealing with the dough and sandwiching the cookies collectively. 

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Directions

1. Make the dough: Place the almonds in a meals processor. Pulse till the almonds are finely chopped, however not so finely that it’s turning into almond flour. See photograph above for a visible.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the chopped almonds, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt till mixed. Put aside.
3. In a big bowl utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar collectively on excessive pace till utterly easy and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, and beat on excessive pace till mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape down the edges and up the underside of the bowl and beat once more as wanted to mix.
4. Add the dry elements to the moist elements and blend on low pace till mixed. The dough will probably be thick and crumbly, and weigh about 850g.
5. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts (about 425g every, or simply eyeball it), gently flatten into discs, and wrap every in plastic wrap. Chill the discs within the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours (and as much as 4 days). 
6. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (All the time beneficial for cookies.) Put aside.
7. Lower out and bake the cookies: Take away 1 disc of chilled cookie dough from the fridge. After chilling, the dough will probably be very arduous. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes (or half-hour, if the dough chilled for longer than 3 hours) earlier than you attempt to roll it. Generously flour a piece floor, in addition to your palms and the rolling pin. Roll out the disc to about 1/4-inch thickness. If the dough is cracking lots when rolling out, wait a number of extra minutes for it to melt up a bit extra. The extra you’re employed with it, the softer and simpler to work with it’ll turn out to be. Utilizing a 2-inch or 3-inch cookie cutter, reduce dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and proceed reducing till all is used. Repeat with the second disc of dough. You need to have about 44–60 cookies, relying on the scale of cookie cutter you employ.
8. Utilizing a small (1-inch) cookie cutter (see Observe in the event you don’t have one), reduce a gap into the middle of half of the cookies. Let’s name these the “high cookies,” and those with no gap the “backside cookies.”
9. Organize the cookies 2 inches aside on lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies for about 11–12 minutes, or till flippantly browned across the edges. Enable cookies to chill on the baking sheets for five minutes, then switch to a wire rack to chill utterly earlier than assembling.
10. Make the icing: In a small bowl, whisk collectively (I normally use a fork) confectioners’ sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk, and extract(s) till easy. If the icing is simply too thick to whisk, add somewhat extra milk, a teaspoon at a time, till it reaches desired consistency. You wish to maintain it on the thicker facet.
11. Flippantly dip the floor of every high cookie into the icing, and let any extra icing drip off. Place the iced high cookies on a wire rack or parchment paper. It’s okay if the icing isn’t utterly set earlier than sandwiching the cookies.
12. Assemble the cookies: Unfold about 1/2 teaspoon of cherry preserves on the underside facet of every backside cookie. Rigorously high every backside cookie with a high iced cookie and press collectively very gently to create a cookie sandwich. Icing will set in a number of hours, so you’ll be able to stack, retailer, transport, and reward the cookies.
13. Cookies will keep recent lined at room temperature for two days or within the fridge for as much as 1 week.

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Notes

1. Make Forward & Freezing Directions: You possibly can chill the cookie dough within the fridge for as much as 4 days (see step 5), however you too can freeze it for as much as 3 months. If you happen to go for the latter, permit the dough to thaw in a single day within the fridge, then carry to room temperature earlier than rolling out in step 7. See Freeze Cookie Dough for extra info. Iced sandwich cookies freeze properly for as much as 3 months; thaw in a single day within the fridge and convey to room temperature earlier than serving.
2. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks):Meals Processor | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper Sheets | Rolling Pin or Adjustable Rolling Pin | 2- to 3-inch cookie cutter, such because the small tree from this set, or this fluted-edge cookie cutter set | Linzer Christmas Cookie Cutter Set | Cooling Rack
3. Almonds: I really like utilizing salted roasted almonds on this dough, and I like to recommend them for extraordinary taste. If you happen to solely have uncooked and/or unsalted almonds, that’s superb, too. An additional pinch of salt within the dough is nice in the event you’re utilizing unsalted almonds.
4. Cherry Filling: For the cookies pictured right here, I used the Bonne Maman model of cherry preserves, and gave it a number of pulses within the meals processor to easy out among the chunks. You possibly can actually use any preserves/jam in these cookies corresponding to raspberry, apricot, or strawberry. If what you’re utilizing is especially chunky, pulse a number of instances in a meals processor to easy out. Lemon curd can also be scrumptious in linzer cookies!
5. If You Don’t Have a Small Cookie Cutter for Heart: If you happen to don’t have any small (1-inch) cookie cutters for the middle, don’t fear! Attempt utilizing the top of a straw to make a small spherical gap within the middle, or use a small paring knife to carve a number of tiny holes (which might appear like pink ornaments on tree-shaped cookies!).
6. Can I Skip the Icing? Sure, completely. As an alternative of icing the highest cookies in steps 10 and 11, mud the cooled high cookies with 2 Tablespoons (16g) of sifted confectioners’ sugar.

Key phrases: cherry almond linzer cookies