Raspberry Linzer Cookies

There are just some cookies that are absolute baking essentials, aren’t there? And classic Linzer cookies are right at the top of that list! Today, I’m showing you how to easily make my all-time favorite twist: Raspberry Linzer Cookies.

We’re talking buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread, sweet raspberry jam, and a lovely icing glaze topped with freeze-dried raspberries.

If you want to bake a classic cookie that’s tender, perfectly fruity, looks downright gorgeous on a platter, and is made with simple pantry staples, this Raspberry Linzer Cookie recipe is for you!

Not only do they look stunning, but they taste absolutely heavenly, too!

Why You’ll Love These Cookies:

• Super easy to make with a fail-proof shortbread dough.
• A total classic cookie favorite.
• Wonderfully tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
• Packed with a sweet, fruity raspberry jam filling.
• So gorgeous on any dessert platter.
• Topped with an amazing homemade raspberry glaze.
• Perfect for holiday baking or as a year-round treat.
• A crowd-pleasing homemade gift for friends and family.
• Made with simple pantry staples.
• Completely irresistible!

My Best Baking Tips

Keep your ingredients cold! Make sure everything for the dough is chilled before you start (especially the butter!). This gives the cookies that amazingly tender texture and makes the dough so much easier to work with.

Don’t worry if the dough looks a bit crumbly after mixing in the bowl—that’s totally normal! Just turn it out onto your counter and gently press it together until a cohesive dough forms. Avoid over-kneading, or the cookies will turn out tough instead of tender.

The chill time is super important! Be sure to let your dough rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This makes rolling it out a breeze and keeps it from sticking to your counter.

Work in batches when rolling out the dough. Only pull half of the dough out of the fridge at a time, leaving the other half chilled while you work. This stops the butter from softening up too much.

Keep a close eye on your oven! You want to bake these just until the edges are lightly golden—not dark brown! Overbaking will make them dry instead of buttery soft. 8 to 10 minutes is usually the sweet spot, but remember that every oven bakes a little differently.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes right out of the oven, then carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

For the glaze, make sure to crush the freeze-dried raspberries super fine (a mortar and pestle works great here, or honestly, just crush them between your fingers!).

You want a nice, thick glaze so it stays right where it belongs on top of the cookie tops. Stir the milk into the powdered sugar one spoon at a time until you reach that perfect consistency.

To add the jam, a piping bag (or even just a small spoon) helps you place a neat dollop right in the center of the solid cookie bottoms. Go easy on the jam, though—if you add too much, it’ll squish out the sides when you sandwich them together!

Can You Make These Cookies Ahead of Time?

You can easily make the dough 2 to 3 days in advance—just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it chilled in the fridge.

When you’re ready to bake, pull it out about 30 minutes before rolling so it’s easy to work with. The baked and completely cooled cookies (without jam or glaze) can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

It’s best to hold off on piping the jam and adding the glaze until the day you plan to assemble them.

Once assembled, the cookies will keep in an airtight container lined with parchment paper between layers for about 5 to 7 days, though the jam will naturally soften the cookies the longer they sit.

Can you freeze them? You bet! You can freeze the tightly wrapped raw dough for several months.

Alternatively, freeze the plain, fully cooled baked cookies (again, leave off the jam and glaze!).

Just thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready, then assemble fresh!

Delicious Recipe Variations

Make it nutty: For a more traditional Linzer dough, feel free to add 50–100g of ground almonds or hazelnuts to the dough. You might need slightly less flour depending on how the dough feels.

Switch up the jam: Feel free to use any red jam you love—just make sure it’s not too runny! Red currant or cherry jam work wonderfully here.

Add cozy spices: Toss a pinch of cinnamon, ground vanilla, or a touch of cardamom into the dough for an extra boost of cozy flavor.

Fun shapes: Instead of classic round cookies or festive holiday shapes, feel free to use whatever cookie cutters you have on hand!

Glaze variations: Swap the raspberry glaze for a simple lemon juice and powdered sugar glaze, or just dust the finished cookies with powdered sugar (which is the classic look for traditional Linzer cookies!).

Chocolate twist: Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate (white or dark) onto the bottom cookies before adding the jam, then let it set. Alternatively, drizzle melted chocolate over the tops for a fun finish!

What You’ll Need for These Raspberry Linzer Cookies

For the Cookie Dough:

• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g cold butter, cubed
• 100 g powdered sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 1 egg yolk

For the Filling:

• 50 g raspberry jam

For the Glaze:

• 100 g powdered sugar
  about 4 tbsp milk
  2 tbsp freeze-dried raspberries

How to Make Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Instructions:

To make the dough, add all the dough ingredients to your mixing bowl and process on the Dough setting for 3 minutes until it comes together.

Turn the crumbly dough out onto your work surface and gently press it into a smooth ball. Flatten it into a disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap.

Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (180 °C).

Divide the dough in half, pulling just the first half out of the fridge to start.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch (3-4 mm) thick.

Use your solid cookie cutter (the one without the center cutout) to punch out the base cookies, placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Gather and reroll any dough scraps to cut out as many cookies as you can.

Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges.

Meanwhile, grab the second portion of dough from the fridge and roll it out the exact same way.

Use the cutter with the center window (a fun festive cutout like an Easter bunny works great here!). Place these tops on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake as directed.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and 1–2 tablespoons of crushed freeze-dried raspberries. (You’re looking for a nice, thick drizzling consistency!)

Dip the tops of the cutout cookies right into the glaze, then sprinkle with a few extra crushed freeze-dried raspberries for that gorgeous pop of color.

Next, transfer the raspberry jam to a piping bag and pipe a dollop right into the center of the solid cookies (the ones without the cutout).

Gently sandwich the cookies together.

Enjoy!

By the way, the prep times listed are just averages. Everyone cooks at their own pace, and sometimes things take a bit longer or shorter than expected.

I hope you have so much fun baking these!

If you loved this recipe, you might also like my Chocolate Cookies 🙂

Best,
Christoph

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