Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies with Raspberry and Almond

The best Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies! Soft and tender almond-flavored shortbread cookie filled with a sweet raspberry jam and finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar!

Course Dessert

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 2

Total Time 3 10

Servings people

Calories 186kcal

Author Rebecca Taig

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature (170 grams)
¾ cup sugar, (150 grams)
1 large egg room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1½ cups gluten-free flour (205 grams) Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
1 cup almond flour (100 grams)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Filling & Topping

½ cup raspberry jam
¼ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Dough

Whisk Dry Ingredients. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy about 3-4 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides.
Add Egg and Extracts. To the mixer, add the large egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Continue to beat for an additional minute.
Add Dry Ingredients. On low speed, slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Continue to mix until combined, while scraping down the sides of the bowl, until a dough forms. The dough will be very sticky.
Chill Linzer Cookie Dough. Pull out two pieces of plastic wrap. Divide the dough in half, and wrap each half in the plastic wrap flattening the dough into a disc. Store the discs in the refrigerator for 2 hours. * An optional step is to weigh the dough on a food scale to ensure each disc of dough is equal in weight*

Roll out the Dough and Bake

Roll, Cut, and Chill the Bottom Cookies. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Clear your counter and lay down a large piece of parchment paper. Lightly dust the parchment paper with a few tablespoons of gluten-free flour, and add a sprinkle of flour on top of the dough. Roll the dough out to about ¼” thick. If the dough starts to stick to the parchment, dust the top and bottom of the dough with a little more gluten-free flour. Periodically lift the dough to make sure it's not sticking to the parchment paper. If it becomes too sticky and the butter starts to melt, quickly gather the dough into a ball, and start the process over. If the dough is no longer workable, try chilling it again for 30 minutes. Using a 2.25 x 2.25 x 2-inch fluted cookie cutter, cut out the bottom half of the cookies. With an offset spatula, carefully transfer the cookie bottoms to one of the lined baking trays, placing them about ½-inch apart. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill.
Bake the Bottom Cookies. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and bake for 10 minutes, just until the bottoms and edges are slightly brown.
Cool and Repeat. Remove the tray from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. Combine the excess dough scraps, roll them out again, and cut out cookies. Make sure to not use a hot sheet tray to bake them or they will spread out! Repeat this process until all the dough is used from the first disc.
Roll, Cut, and Chill the Top Cookies. Add the detachable heart center to your linzer cookie cutter. Repeat the rolling out process with the second disc of dough. Once the dough is rolled out, use the cookie cutter to cut out the top half of the cookies. The center heart will push out of the scalloped top, leaving a doughnut hole appearance. Transfer the cookie tops and cut-out hearts to a lined baking tray, about ½-inch apart, then into the refrigerator for 10 minutes to chill.
Bake the Top Cookies. Remove the cookies from the refrigerator and bake for 10 minutes, just until the bottoms and edges are slightly brown. Repeat the process of rolling, baking, and cooling the cookies.

Assemble the Cookies

Sift Powdered Sugar on Top. Once cooled, sift powdered sugar over the tops of the cookies (with the cut-out heart centers).
Sandwich Cookies Together. Add one teaspoon of jam to the center of each cookie base, then carefully place the cookie tops onto the jammy bottoms, until all cookies are sandwiched together.

Notes

TIPS

Chill the dough: Do not skip chilling the dough! This is a very sticky cookie dough and the gluten-free flour needs time to absorb, for at least 2 hours or longer. The second refrigeration step is also crucial after the cookies have been cut out. This will help prevent the cookies from spreading while baking.

Soft dough: This is a very sticky dough so you will want to work quickly before the butter melts. When rolling, make sure the rolling pin is clean, and the parchment paper is sprinkled with flour as well as the top of the dough. Periodically lift the dough to make sure it's not sticking to the parchment paper. If the dough is still too sticky to work with, stop what you are doing, gather the dough into a ball, and refrigerate again for 30 minutes.

Serve the next day: These cookies are best served the next day, after becoming assembled. They will become softer in texture.

Use a toothpick for the center jam: If any powdered sugar gets into the center of the jam, use a toothpick to swirl the jam, dissolving any of the visible sugar.

Store the cookies flat in a glass container: Avoid storing the cookies on top of each other for the best presentation, otherwise, the powdered sugar will spread.

Linzer cookie cutters: Here is a link to the Linzer cookie cutter set I used for this recipe. You could also use a small biscuit cutter set.

Nutrition