Gluten Free Linzer Cookies

One of the most traditional Austrian Cookies is the Linzer Cookie (also called Spitzbuben in some parts of Austria). Picture a cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread with a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Filled with apricot or raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar, they are the star of every holiday cookie tray. The dough for Gluten Free Linzer Cookies is a very basic cookie dough which was one of the first recipes I learned from my Mom. We would use this dough to make not only Linzer Cookies but also Mozarttaler, Vanillekipferl, and Husaren-Krapferl.

This is actually my Mom's recipe which I converted to a gluten free version. Another favorite of my Mom is my Cinnamon Spiced Pecans and my Gluten Free Fudge Brownies.

If you are looking for another Austrian Holiday Cookie, please check out my Gluten Free Vanilla Crescents (Vanillekipferl) and my Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour: I have made this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-1 as well as my own gluten free flour blend. This is a very forgiving recipe so if you would like to use a different gluten free flour, you may do so. If you use a blend without xanthan, please add 1.5 teaspoons of xanthan gum.

Nut flour: Traditionally Linzer Cookies are made with Hazelnut Flour but it is very pricey in the US (and sometimes hard to find). So I use very fine Almond Flour. If you have access to hazelnut flour I highly recommend giving it a try sometimes.

Butter: Please use unsalted, room temperature butter for the recipe. It should be around 65F which is a lot colder than many of us consider room temperature. To test if your butter is at room temperature nudge it with your finger. You should see an indent but the butter should not feel like you can poke right through it. 

Powdered Sugar: Cookies made with powdered sugar have a more delicate crumb. It is also known as confectionary sugar or icing sugar.

Tools needed to create Linzer Cookies

Cookie Cutters: I use Double-Sided Fluted and Plain Edge Cookie Cutter and a Mini Heart-shaped cookie cutter

Rolling Pin: you will need a rolling pin to roll out the gluten-free Linzer cookie dough. BUT, you can always use a clean bottle (like a wine bottle) in a pinch

Offset Spatula: I love using Mini Offsets to move delicate cookie dough

What is a Linzer Cookie?

Linz is the third-largest city in Austria after Vienna and Graz. It is located right by the Danube. Once primarily an industrial center, Linz has become a pioneer when it comes to culture, art, and technology (The original PEZ Candy is made in Traun, just outside of Linz)

Most people know Linz for its Linzertorte. A tart made of a rich buttery dough and traditionally filled with black currant preserves and topped with a lattice crust.  In the US, a filling made with raspberries is more common than black currant.

To make a Linzer Cookie, the dough is cut into cookies that are sandwiched with a filling.  The top cookie has a small cutout in its center (known as Linzer eyes) which shows the filling.  The traditional cutout is circular but all sorts of shapes, such as hearts, have become common over the years.

This recipe for Gluten Free Linzer Cookies can be made with regular flour as well or easily turned vegan/egg-less.

Linzer Cookie Filling Ideas

Traditionally Linzer Cookies are filled with a Black Currant Jam but in my family, Apricot Jam is the filling of choice (clearly homemade by my Grandma). No matter if you use homemade jams or store bought, I highly recommend using a high-quality product.

Some nontraditional filling ideas

• Cherry Jam, Peach Jam, Blueberry Jam
• Nutella or your favorite chocolate spread of choice
• Fruit Curd such as Lemon or Raspberry

No matter what you choose for your filling, please make sure it is indeed gluten-free. Sadly some spreads such as Biscoff are NOT Gluten Free.

How to make Gluten Free Linzer Cookies

Traditionally this dough is made right on the kitchen counter by cutting the butter into the dry ingredients, adding the egg (or egg yolks), and kneading it by hand. I have tested the "by hand" method and the "mixer method" and was not able to see or taste a difference. Using the mixer for sure makes for an easier and quicker clean-up.

Cream Butter and Powdered Sugar: Combine your room temperature butter and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. We will cream those two ingredients for 1 - 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Since this dough does not contain any leavening agent the creaming will provide structure. Make sure to scrape down the bowl halfway through the creaming process.

Add Egg and Vanilla: add the whole egg and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides.

Dry Ingredients: combine your gluten free flour, almond flour (or hazelnut flour), and salt in a separate bowl, whisk together and add to your wet ingredients. Mix everything together until a dry, crumbly dough forms.

Rest the dough: Remove dough from the stand mixer bowl and transfer to a parchment paper-lined sheet tray or plate (a ¼ sheet tray works great for this task) The dough will be very soft so I recommend sprinkling some gluten-free flour on the parchment paper first. Do not add additional flour to the dough even though may be tempted. Use your hands and push the dough together in a disk or square, sprinkle some additional flour on top and place it in your refrigerator. The dough MUST rest for at least 2hrs and up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

How to roll out and cut Linzer Cookies

As mentioned, this dough is very delicate unless you allow for it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 2hrs.

• Remove the dough from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
  
• Place dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll the dough out to about ¼” thick. I think it’s the easiest to do this on a floured parchment paper.
  
• Use a cookie cutter to cut into desired shapes. I use a 2 ½” scalloped edge cookie cutter for the tops of the cookies and a 2 ½” round cookie cutter for the bottom. You can also use the same cutter for tops and bottoms. Use a tiny cookie cutter (or the back end of a piping tip) to cut out the centers in your top cookies. You want to have an even number of tops and bottoms.
  
• Combine all the dough scraps, roll out the dough again. If the dough is very soft, I recommend placing it back in the fridge and allow it to firm up again. Cut out more cookies. You may repear this once, two times otherwise the cookies will become tough and spread. So make sure to get as many cookies as possible out of the dough. IF you have any dough left, I recommend baking off all the scraps as is. They are great for snacking. No cookie dough should go to waste
  
• Use an offset knife to transfer your cookies to a parchment-lined sheet tray. Place the tray in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to allow the dough to firm up. The cookies will bake more uniform when the cut out cookies are frozen for 15-20.
  
• To bake the cookies, make sure not to crowd the sheet tray and only bake one tray at a time. Also make sure not to place the raw cookie dough on a hot sheet tray or your cookies will spread.
  
• Bake the cookies until they are just starting to turn brown on the edges. This should only take around 8-10 minutes at 350F.

How to fill Austrian Linzer Cookies

Please make sure the baked cookies are fully cooled before filling them. Dust your Top cookies (the ones with the center cut out) with powdered sugar. Add a spoon of your filling of choice to the bottom cookies (withOUT the cut-out centers). Sandwich the two halves together.

How to make Vegan Gluten Free Linzer Cookies

To make this recipe vegan please use your favorite vegan butter such as Miyoko's or Earth Balance. I recommend something more "sturdy" and not use "spreadable butter". As for the egg, please substitute it with 3 tablespoons of Non Dairy Milk. I recommend something with a higher fat content.

Frequently Asked Questions about Linzer Cookies

Can I make this recipe nutfree?
Yes. Please substitute the nut flour with gluten free flour and clearly don't use Nutella for filling.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes. I actually prefer freezing the solid block of Linzer Cookie dough vs the cut out cookie shapes. It takes up less space in the freezer. To thaw the unrolled cookie dough, allow for it to thaw in your refrigerator or on your counter and proceed with the recipe as written. The dough might be a bit try to roll out so make sure to have some additional flour handy.

Can I freeze the cutout cookies?
Yes, to freeze the cutout cookies freeze them on a sheet tray and then transfer them to an airtight container once frozen. There is no need to thaw the cookie dough before baking. Just bake them from frozen and adjust the bake time accordingly.

Can I make this authentic Austrian recipe with "regular all purpose flour"?
Please use 200 grams of regular all-purpose flour instead of gluten-free flour.

How should I store the baked and filled Linzer Cookies?
I recommend placing the baked and filled cookies in an air-tight container and storing them at room temperature for up to 7 days. If you plan on freezing the filled cookies, please be aware that you have to dust them with powdered sugar once thawed.