Pinterest Hidden Image

Every Christmas my mom would fill the kitchen (and sitting room!) with freshly baked cookies. These vegan Linzer cookies are my take on her Linzer Plaetzchen (German name) - one of my favorite Christmas cookies growing up.

Linzer cookies are the biscuit form of the Linzer tart or "Linzer torte" which is an Austrian lattice pie filled with raspberries. They consist of raspberry or strawberry jam sandwiched between almond flour shortbread cookies and are very popular around Christmas time and Valentine's day

Jump to:
rows of jam and marmalade filled linzer cookies.Pin

🧾 Ingredients Needed

These easy vegan linzer cookies are made with minimal ingredients. Here's what to grab:

ingredients for linzer cookies measured out in bowls with text overlay.Pin

Ingredient Notes

  • Ground Almonds: Adds flavor and moisture to the recipe, please do not use almond flour as this can tend to be on the drier side.
  • Vegan Butter: You’ll need vegan block butter, not margarine or spread.  I use flora unsalted plant butter.
  • Jam/Fruit Preserves: I love using raspberry or strawberry jam for these cookies. But you can also fill them with marmalade, apricot jam, blackberry jam, or any flavor of fruit jam that tickles your fancy.
  • Vanilla Extract: This adds a delicious flavor to the shortbread cookie dough.
  • Sea Salt: A must for these cookies, the salt enhances the flavors as well as helps to balance the sweetness.
  • Powdered Sugar: This is also labeled as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar.
Pin

🥣 Instructions

Here are step-by-step images showing how to make this easy vegan linzer cookie recipe. Please refer to the detailed printable recipe card at the end of this page for full measurements and written instructions:

butter, sugar, and vanilla whisked until light and airy in a large mixing bowl.Pin

Step 1: Whisk the softened butter in a large mixing bowl until light and airy. Add in the granulated sugar and vanilla extract and whisk for another minute or two until creamed together.

linzer cookie dough in a bowl before being kneaded into a ball.Pin

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients (all purpose flour, ground almonds, and sea salt). Fold the ingredients together using a rubber spatula.

linzer cookie dough wrapped in plastic before chilling in the fridge.Pin

Step 3: Knead and shape the dough into a ball. Flatten it down into a disc shape and wrap it with cling film. Let the dough chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

linzer cookies on a cookie tray before going into the oven to bake.Pin

Step 4: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out 19 cookies and 19 lids using a linzer cookie cutter. Re-roll the small circles from the center until all the dough is used up).

freshly baked linzer cookies cooling on brown paper.Pin

Step 5: Bake the cookies until golden and allow then cool them completely before adding the filling and topping.

linzer cookies after being dusted with icing sugar.Pin

Step 6: Dust the cutout cookies (which will be on top) with icing sugar.

the bottom half of linzer cookies brushed with apricot and strawberry jam.Pin

Step 7: Brush the base cookies with some jam.

linzer cookies brushed with jam and topped with a sugar dusted cookie.Pin

Step 8: Add a tsp of jam to the center of each bottom cookie and sandwich a sugar-dusted top cookie on top.

🍓 Variations

While traditional linzer cookies with raspberry jam are probably the most popular, here are some ways to switch them up:

  • Chocolate linzer cookies: Try this chocolate ganache recipe for a chocolate twist on your vegan Linzer cookies.
  • Lemon curd linzer cookies: These soft cookies are also incredible when filled with vegan lemon curd.
  • Caramel linzer cookies: Stuff the cookies with vegan caramel sauce for an extra sweet kick.
  • Nutella linzer cookies: Swap out the jam for some homemade vegan nutella.
  • Orange linzer cookies: Add a tablespoon of freshly grated orange zest to the cookie dough and fill them with homemade orange curd.

💬 FAQs

How to store vegan linzer cookies?

Keep these vegan Linzer cookies in an airtight container or cookie tin and store them at room temperature. They will easily keep for a couple of weeks but are tastiest when enjoyed fresh within the first 3-4 days.

Can you freeze jam cookies?

Yes, you can freeze them for up to a month in an airtight container. Make sure your cookies have cooled completely, then stack them between sheets of parchment paper before freezing.

To defrost, simply place them on a plate in the fridge overnight.

Stay in touch with me through social media @ InstagramPinterestTikTok, and Facebook. And subscribe via email to get all our new recipes!

📖 Recipe

Vegan Linzer Cookies (Linzer Plätzchen)

4.97 from 26 votes
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 30 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 1 hour
Servings: 19
PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE

Description

Soft and tender vegan Linzer cookies with jam filling sandwiched between buttery vanilla almond shortbread cookies. These easy cut-out cookies are customizable from the fillings to the shape, they're the perfect holiday cookie for baking season.

Equipment

Cookie cutters (2.5-inch and 1-inch)

Ingredients

  • 150 g (5.3 oz) vegan butter (block-style), softened *see note 1
  • 100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
  • 180 g (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 125 g (1 ⅛ cups) ground almonds
  • ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) sea salt
  • 150 g (½ cup) raspberry jam, or strawberry jam *see note 2
  • 150 g (½ cup) apricot jam, or marmalade
  • 25 g (¼ cup) powdered sugar

Instructions

  • Cream the butter and sugar: Add the softened butter to a large mixing bowl and use an electric whisk (or paddle attachment if using a mixer) to beat the butter for 2-3 minutes until light and airy.
    Add in the sugar and vanilla extract and whisk for another minute or two until creamed together.
  • Add the flour, ground almonds, and sea salt. Fold the ingredients together using a rubber spatula. Then knead and shape the dough into a ball. Flatten it down into a disc shape and wrap it with cling film. Place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.
  • Prepare: Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F fan (200°C/392°F conventional).
    Line cookie trays with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Roll the dough: Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour and carefully roll out the chilled dough to approximately 1cm in height.
  • Cut out the cookies: Use a 2.5" linzer cookie cutter to cut out 19 cookies and 19 lids and use an offset spatula to lift them onto 2 separate baking trays (they both have different baking times). Leave around 2 inches between each cookie. If your baking trays are small, you will need to bake them in batches. I recommend cutting out all your cookies at once, and then place them in a container and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can stack them on top of each other separated with sheets of parchment paper.
  • Bake: Bake the bottom cookies for 10 minutes and the lid cookies for 8 minutes, then remove them from the oven and allow the cookies to sit on the baking tray to cool for about 5 minutes. Carefully slide the sheet of parchment paper with the cookies off of the tray and onto a cooling rack. Cool for another 15-20 minutes.
  • Assemble: Dust the cutout cookies (which will be on top) with icing sugar. If your jam is thick, gently warm the jam in saucepans or in the microwave to make it easier to work with.
    Brush the base cookies with some jam and then add 1-2 teaspoons of jam to the center of each one and sandwich a sugar-dusted cutout cookie on top of them.
  • Storage: Keep them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

  1. Vegan Butter: Take this out of the fridge 1-2 hours ahead of time.
  2. Jam: Swap for vegan nutella, ganache, lemon curd, or another jam of choice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 196kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe? Tag me TodayBe sure to leave a rating and a review in the section below, and mention @addictedtodates or tag #addictedtodates

© addictedtodates.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. If you want to share this recipe, please do so using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or republish the recipe or content in full. instead, include a link to this post for the recipe.

*This recipe was originally published in November 2021. The recipe has since been improved and updated to simplify the instructions.