These gluten free Linzer cookies are just perfect for Christmas! They're buttery, dusted with powdered sugar and filled raspberry jam.
Confession: I had never attempted to make Linzer cookies until only recently. Don't get me wrong, I've always thought they are absolutely delicious and so cute, too! But for some reason, I was under the impression that attempting these cookies from scratch would be way too complicated.
Glad to report, I was wrong! These gluten free Linzer cookies are easier than you might think (because you know I'm all about keeping things simple around here).
There are a few more steps than, say, your typical drop cookies... which is why they're perfect for a special occasion, like Christmas or even Valentine's Day!
So turn up the holiday tunes, grab your round cookie cutters and your favorite raspberry jam, and let's get right into it!
What Are Linzer Cookies?
If you're unfamiliar, Linzer cookies are traditional Austrian Christmas cookies. They're named after the Austrian city of Linz. And they are delicious!
The cookies themselves are buttery and soft. They're sandwiched together with jam (or some people opt for chocolate or lemon curd) and dusted with powdered sugar.
Why You'll Love These Cookies...
- I mean, just look at them! They're so pretty and, while I opted for classic round cookies, you can totally get creative with cutting different shapes. If you're making these for Valentine's Day, then grab those heart-shaped cutters!
- They are oh-so-delicious. The cookies are sweet and buttery thanks to my secret ingredient (also a great egg substitute, as mentioned in my buttery spritz cookie post): sweetened condensed milk.
- The jam filling is slightly tart, which balances all of the flavors out wonderfully!
What You'll Need...
- Gluten free flour blend
- Regular readers know I swear by Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour.
- Baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Sweetened condensed milk
- My secret to making Linzer cookies without eggs! Plus I just love the flavor.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Raspberry jam or preserves
- I go with store-bought jam but you can absolutely use homemade if you have a favorite recipe!
How To Make...
To make my gluten free Linzer cookies, we're going to start by combining our dry ingredients, just so it's ready to use when we need it. Give it a quick whisk and set that aside for now.
Next, grab your mixer and start creaming the butter with the sugar until it's completely smooth and slightly lighter in color. Add in the sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla extract and continue mixing until it's combined.
Now, just add in your dry mix and beat on low speed until the cookie dough starts to come together. This dough will be SOFT and slightly sticky. Totally normal... that's what we want!
We're going to divide the dough in half and form into two round discs. Wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and pop it into the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
Once the dough has chilled, remove from the refrigerator and roll out between two pieces of parchment paper, until it's about ⅛ inch thick. Use a small round cookie cutter to cut rounds, and arrange them onto a lined baking sheet. Repeat the same process with the second disc.
Now, grab an even smaller cookie cutter (I just use the wider edge of a piping tip) and make a small cut-out in the centers of HALF of the cookies. These are going to be the tops of the cookie sandwiches. Chill all of the rounds for another 30 minutes, then bake on 350ºF for about 12 minutes.
To assemble the Linzer cookies, you want to make sure all of your cookies are completely cooled. Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar. Now grab a bottom cookie, flip it so that the flat side is facing up, and spread with a heaping ½ teaspoon of jam. Top with a sugar-coated cookie and repeat!
Expert Tips...
- As always, my top tip is to weigh your flour. This is the best way to ensure accuracy, and too much flour will result in dry cookies. No one wants that! You'll need exactly 222 grams of flour for this recipe.
- Because this is a soft cookie dough, the chill time is super important. Remember, we're chilling the dough for an hour BEFORE rolling and cutting, and then another 30 minutes once your cookies have been cut out and arranged onto the baking sheets.
- And on that note, I recommend keeping the second disc in the refrigerator while you work on the first. As you are rolling and cutting, if you notice the dough getting too warm and soft, you can always pop it back into the refrigerator for another 15-20 minutes, and then get back to it.
- I almost always roll my cookie dough between two sheets of parchment paper. It's less messy, and I never have issues with the dough sticking to any surfaces. Still, I always use my pastry mat for easy clean-up, too.
- Make sure to gather up the scraps and re-roll to use up all of the cookie dough! I can typically get 6 rounds from each disc (for 12 cookie sandwiches), although this entirely depends on the size of your cookie cutter. Mine is about 3 inches.
- The bake time for this recipe is 12 minutes. Because all ovens are different, I recommend checking at about 11 minutes to avoid over-baking. The cookies will be slightly golden.
- I said it once but it's worth repeating. Your cookies should be completely cooled before you dust with powdered sugar and assemble. Otherwise, the powdered sugar will melt completely into the cookies.
Ingredient Substitutions...
- The sweetened condensed milk is essential to making these Linzer cookies without eggs, so I'm unsure if you can make this dairy-free. I have never baked with sweetened condensed coconut milk, but it could potentially be an option. Then you would just need to also use your favorite non-dairy butter.
- As mentioned, you can use homemade jam if you prefer. If you're not a fan of raspberry, feel free to use any kind of jam you like!
Di you try my gluten free Linzer cookies? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog! And for new recipes delivered straight to your inbox every week, make sure to subscribe to my mailing list!
Just As Tasty: Gluten-Free & Eggless Baking Through the Seasons
Be sure to check out my cookbook for tons of festive and easy-to-make gluten-free treats! From Valentine's Day and Easter to the holiday season and every celebration in between, this book has got you covered.
For More Gluten Free Christmas Cookies, Try My...
- Best gluten free gingersnaps
- Peppermint mocha cookies
- White chocolate cranberry cookies
- Chocolate snowball cookies
📖 Recipe
Linzer Cookies - Gluten Free, Eggless
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (222g) gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 10 tablespoons (140g) unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) sweetened condensed milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- powdered sugar for dusting
- raspberry jam or preserves for filling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the sugar. Add the condensed milk and vanilla extract and beat to incorporate. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough will be soft and sticky.
- Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a round disc. Wrap tightly and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Roll out the first disc of chilled dough between two parchment papers, until about ⅛ inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut rounds, gathering the scraps and re-rolling until all of the dough has been used. Arrange on a lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Repeat with the second disc. If the dough gets too warm and soft, refrigerate again for 20 minutes before trying again.
- Use a smaller round cookie cutter, or the end of a piping tip, to make a small hole in the center of half of the cookies, leaving the other half as is. Chill the cut-out dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes, or until slightly golden in color. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- To assemble, sift a generous amount of powdered sugar onto the cookies with the smaller holes in the centers. These will be the top cookies. Turn the remaining cookies over and spread a heaping ½ teaspoon of jam or preserves onto the flat side of the cookie. Top with one of the sugar-coated cookies.
Sebastian says
I made these cookies last week. It was a winner. The whole family loved them.
Taleen Benson says
I'm so glad to hear that!