Linzer cookies (Linecké cukroví) - Traditional Czech Recipe

Linzer cookies (Linecké cukroví) - Traditional Czech Recipe

Course: desert

Cuisine: Czech

Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 1

Servings: people

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Andrea Gralow

Indulge in the timeless charm of Linzer Cookies (Linecké cukroví), a delectable treat crafted from a traditional Czech recipe. These delicate almond-based cookies, sandwiched with sweet jam, offer a delightful blend of textures and flavors. Discover the perfect balance of nostalgia and sweetness in every bite. Try our authentic Linzer Cookies recipe for a taste of Czech culinary heritage.

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Metric - US Customary

Ingredients

The Dough

500 grams All-purpose flour
100 grams Fine almond flour
160 grams Powdered sugar
400 grams Butter cold, cubed, unsalted
2 whole eggs
1 tbsp Organic lemon rind
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Extra powdered sugar for sprinkling

Filling

1.5 cup Red currant or raspberry jam for filling; make it seedless for a smoother mouth feel)

Instructions

Make the Dough.

In a food processor, combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, powdered sugar and butter. Pulse until you achieve a sandy texture.
Add eggs, lemon rind, vanilla extract, and mix until the dough comes together.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge overnight.

Roll the dough and cut the cookies.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.
On the day of baking, take the dough out of the fridge and let it warm up just a little bit.
Prepare your cookie cutters and your surface, a marble slab is perfect, but any clean kitchen surface will do
Sprinkle your surface with a small amount of flour, cut the big chunk of dough into 4 pieces, and roll out the dough not too thin (about ¼ inch at least).
Cut out your desired shapes: half will be a solid disc (bottom cookies), the other half will have a small hole (top cookies).
Use various small cutters (star and heart are the most traditional) for more variety. Try not to introduce too much flour for the next round of rolling out.

Bake the cookies

Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies onto a lined baking tray and bake until rose golden, for approximately 10-15 minutes (depending on your oven, altitude and on the thickness of your cookies) at 350F.
The tops (with the cut-out) will bake faster than the bottoms so don't mix them on one sheet.

Assemble the cookies

Let cool completely, sprinkle some powdered sugar on the top cookies (hole).
Then spread red currant jam (most traditional and delicious with its mildly sour/tart flavor) on the bottom cookie and close the sandwich with a top cookie (the one with a hole). You could also use raspberry jam if you can't find the red currant one or any other one you prefer.

Store the cookies

Store in an airtight container in dry cold. The flavor and aroma of the jam will bond with the cookie and they will soften up and taste even better after some time.
They can be made a few weeks before Christmas.

Notes

Grams vs Cups

For best results, measure the ingredients out in grams. A simple digital kitchen scale will give you the most precise results so you can make sure the recipe works as it should for you. However, if you need US Metric, just click the switch for metric conversion.

Roll the dough thin.

Make sure not to roll the dough too thin so that it's easy to get the cut-out cookies off the surface after rolling, and ensure they don't burn when being baked.

How Many Cookies

You should have about 60 cookies from this recipe.

Make them in two stages.

Count on baking these in two stages - make the dough and let it rest in the fridge at least overnight or for up to 3 days before baking. The dough will really be much easier to work with after some rest. You can also make the dough ahead of time and freeze it for up to 3 months before baking.

Make them ahead of time.

You can bake them up to two weeks before Christmas, and store them in an airtight container, and then fill them with either red currant or raspberry jam a few days before the holidays so that the flavors have time to intertwine.

Storage

They can then be kept in the cold (ideally in a cold attic or basement, not in the fridge where the environment is too humid to keep the cookies intact) and enjoyed throughout the Christmas period and for a few weeks after.

Holiday Gift

They also make perfect, thoughtful holiday gifts for your loved ones. In the unlikely event that you end up with leftover cookies, they can be frozen for up to 6 months, and pulled out and defrosted quickly at room temperature to make your afternoon tea better any day.

The Cookie Cutters

The cookie cutters used for this recipe are traditionally round; for convenience, you can buy one of these sets. But you can also make the cookies heart or flower-shaped, so long as you remember to cut a hole in half of them, which will be used as the tops to reveal the beautiful red jammy goodness inside. I've tasted Linzer Tarts filled with apricot jam as well, so give that a try if that's what your heart desires.

Nut-free version

Make a nut-free version by just replacing the almond flour with the same amount of all-purpose flour.

Baking at Altitude

If you're baking at altitude, add approximately 10 degrees F and 3 minutes per sheet. Watch the cookies closely towards the end, as they can go from unbaked to burnt quite fast. Always adjust the temperature and time to your oven and your particular settings.

Nutrition