The BEST Linzer cookies (Spitzbuben)
This recipe for Linzer cookies is one my German grandma made every year, where they are called Spitzbuben (pronounced Sh-pitz-boo-ben). They are buttery, flaky, jam-filled cookies that are dusted in powdered sugar. It's no wonder they have forever been a family favorite and make it on my list of the 5 best German Christmas cookie recipes. I promise you will be so happy that you put it on your baking list this year!
Servings: 40 cookies
Calories: 92kcal
Equipment
- Fine-Mesh Sieve for making the egg yolk paste
- Shaker for the powdered sugar (or use the sieve)
- Zester for the lemon peel
- Cookie Jar or airtight container for storing
Ingredients
Linzer cookie dough
- 5 egg yolks 3 hard-boiled and 2 raw
- 200 grams butter room temperature. I use salted butter. If you use unsalted, maybe add a pinch of salt as well. This is not traditional, but it helps bring out the flavors more.
- 140 grams sugar
- ½ lemon zest only
- 300 grams all-purpose flour plus more for rolling out dough
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Filling & Topping
- 100 grams jam I prefer using good apricot or raspberry jam, but you can use any jam of your choice!
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Hard boil 3 of the eggs, then remove the yolk. Using a spoon, press the egg yolks through a fine-mesh sieve, until it turns into a paste. The finer the sieve is, the better. Using a fork, xix together with the raw egg yolks to create a paste.5 egg yolks
- Mix together butter, sugar, lemon zest, and your egg yolk paste until incorporated. Add in the flour and milk and knead until you have a cohesive, smooth dough.5 egg yolks, 200 grams butter, 140 grams sugar, ½ lemon, 300 grams all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon milk
- Cover the dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 60 minutes. In the meantime, preheat oven to 390° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius).
- On a surface dusted in flour, roll out the dough to 1/10 inch (3 mm) thickness, and cut out your favorite shapes, cutting out the middle for half of them, so you see the jam through it after assembly. Note: You can use a special cookie cutter for these, or you can create your own Spitzbuben by creating any kinds of peek-a-boo holes in the top cookie. If they are larger sized cookie shapes like mine, you'll end up with less than 40 cookies.
- Transfer cookies to baking sheets covered in parchment paper or fitted with baking mats and bake for 8 to 10 minutes on the middle rack until just starting to turn golden around the edges. Note about baking: My last batch could fit on just one baking sheet instead of two, and the cookies baked much faster. I would also recommend baking the top pieces with cut-outs separately from the bottom pieces as they tend to bake just a minute or so faster.
- After baking, carefully pull the baking sheet or parchment paper onto a cooling rack, allowing the cookies to harden and cool down faster. Dust top cookie with powdered sugar. Using spoons, put about ½ teaspoon of jam on each bottom cookie (you can warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds to help it spread out better), then assemble the cookies by placing the sugar-dusted top cookie on the jam-covered bottom cookie. These keep well in a cookie jar for up to 2 months (but no way you'll have any left after the first week).100 grams jam, powdered sugar
Video
Notes
Tips
Cooling the dough
The dough needs to cool down for about an hour before rolling out, so it won't stick as much to your counter when rolling out. The stickier the dough, the more flour you'll need to use. This then means that your cookies will be crumblier and harder to assemble. Working ahead? You can also chill your dough for longer. Then warm it in the microwave in 10-second increments, flipping the dough in between. The dough should be workable, but not too soft.Overbaking
It's easy to overbake Linzer cookies, especially the ones with the middles cut out. I usually bake the cut-out cookies on one baking sheet and the whole cookies on another. That way I can pull the cut-out cookies sooner. I also like baking those on the middle or second-from-the-bottom rack to avoid them getting too golden on top.Assembly
Baking the cut-outs on one sheet and the whole cookies on another makes it easy and fast to dust the tops in powdered sugar while spreading jam on the bottoms. I first sugar-coat the tops, then assemble the cookies.Storing
Let your cookies cool completely first before assembling and storing them. I recommend separating layers using parchment or wax paper to avoid cookies sticking to one another (the jam can do that). Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months. I have never had mine last longer than one week though.Nutrition
Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 38mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg