Vegan Linzer Cookies
Sweet raspberry jam, magically soft cookies and a generous dusting of powdered sugar all come together to create one of the most loved and heartwarming cookies of all time. Arrange them on a cake pedestal or platter, and watch as fingers of all sizes reach in to steal them away.
Servings: 14 cookies
Calories: 206kcal
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (315 g) (or Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour if needing gluten free)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup vegan butter or margarine, slightly softened (170 g)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (173 g)
- 2 tbsp non-dairy milk, such as almond, cashew or soy (30 ml)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract, (optional)
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar) (24 g)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. red jam, such as raspberry or strawberry (the brighter the berry the better, and seedless, if possible) (108 g) + more as needed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder and stir well to mix. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using, and mix well.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until the dough comes together and all the flour is incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Gather the dough into a ball, then divide it into 2 equal-sized discs. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes. After the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (approx. 177°C).
- Remove the discs of dough from the fridge and place one of them on a floured surface. Roll the dough out to 1/8–1/4 inch (1/4-1/2 cm) thick, depending on how tall you would like your sandwich cookies. If the dough sticks, flour the surface of the dough and the rolling pin, as well. Using a round, scalloped cookie cutter about 2 inches (5–6 cm) in diameter (or other cookie cutter of choice), cut shapes into the dough, then use a thin spatula (I use the metal type) to transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheet 2 inches (5 cm) apart from one another. Gather and re-roll the remaining dough until it’s all used up.
- The second disc of dough will be used to make the top halves of the cookies. Roll the dough out and cut cookies using the same cutter as for the previous batch, then use mini cookie cutters to cut out hearts, stars, or other shapes from the center of each cookie. Place the top halves on a parchment-lined or nonstick baking sheet as well.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 7–8 minutes or just until set. Do not let them brown.
- Cool on the baking sheets for 3–5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. While still warm, liberally dust the top halves of the cookies (with the mini cutouts) with a first coating of powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve or flour sifter. Once completely cooled, dust with a second coating.
- Spoon 1–2 tsp. of jam onto each of the bottom-layer cookies and spread evenly to reach all edges of the circle. To assemble, place the powdered sugared top halves on top of the bottom halves so that the jam shows through the cutout. Enjoy!
Notes
While cutting cookie shapes, keep in mind that although flour from the cutting board won’t show up on the baked cookies, any cracks or fingerprints in the raw dough will appear on the baked cookies.
I like using a seedless raspberry jam in this recipe, but any type of jam will do!
If you’re not enjoying the cookies right away, wait until the last minute to assemble them in case you need to add an extra dusting of powdered sugar on the top halves.
Scalloped cookie cutters are great to get the traditional Linzer cookie flair. If not available you can use a circle cutter. There are also many Linzer cookie cutter sets you can purchase online that include the mini cutters!
For gluten free cookies, use Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour in place of the regular all-purpose flour.
STORAGE: These cookies are flexible and can be stored in airtight or non-airtight containers, tins, or on plates covered with foil or plastic wrap.
FOR BEST GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: Try your favorite gluten-free all- purpose flour in place of the regular all-purpose flour. Check the labels for all remaining ingredients to ensure they’re gluten-free, as well.
Nutrition
Calories: 206kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g