Description
These Vegan Linzer Cookies are a delicious plant-based twist on the classic Austrian Linzer Plätzchen. Featuring a buttery almond dough filled with luscious raspberry or apricot jam, these cookies are perfectly tender, subtly sweet, and dusted with powdered sugar for a festive finish. Ideal for holiday gatherings or a special treat, they’re made without any animal products and offer a delightful balance of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 150 g vegan butter (block-style), softened
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 180 g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 125 g ground almonds
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Fillings and Topping
- 150 g raspberry jam (or strawberry jam)
- 150 g apricot jam (or marmalade)
- 25 g powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar: Place the softened vegan butter in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric whisk or paddle attachment on a mixer, beat the butter for 2-3 minutes until light and airy. Add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract, then continue whisking for another 1-2 minutes to combine until the mixture is creamy.
- Mix the dough: Fold in the sifted all-purpose flour, ground almonds, and sea salt using a rubber spatula until just combined. Knead the dough gently to bring it together and shape it into a ball.
- Chill the dough: Flatten the dough ball into a disc shape, wrap it tightly with cling film, and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. This helps the dough firm up, making it easier to roll out.
- Preheat and prepare baking trays: Heat the oven to 180°C fan (356°F) or 200°C conventional (392°F). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Roll out the dough: Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll out the chilled dough to about 1 cm (approximately 0.4 inches) thickness to ensure even baking and the characteristic texture of Linzer cookies.
- Cut out cookies: Using a 2.5-inch Linzer cookie cutter, cut out 19 base cookies and 19 matching lids with the hallmark window cutout. Use an offset spatula to transfer the cookies carefully onto separate baking trays, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie to allow for spreading. If your trays are small, work in batches. Store cut cookies in the refrigerator if baking multiple batches.
- Bake the cookies: Place the base cookies in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Bake the lid cookies for 8 minutes. Once baked, let them cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring the parchment paper with cookies to cooling racks. Allow the cookies to cool completely for 15-20 minutes before assembly.
- Assemble the Linzer Cookies: Dust the lid cookies (the cutout tops) generously with powdered sugar. Warm the jams slightly in a saucepan or microwave if thick to make spreading easier. Spread a thin layer of jam on the flat base cookies, then spoon 1-2 teaspoons of jam into the center. Sandwich a powdered sugar-dusted lid cookie on top gently to avoid breaking.
- Storage: Store assembled Linzer cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks to keep them fresh and flavorful.
Notes
- Use block-style vegan butter that is properly softened for best creaming results.
- You can substitute raspberry jam with strawberry jam if preferred.
- For a citrusy twist, apricot jam or marmalade can be used as an alternative filling.
- Make sure to chill the dough sufficiently to prevent spreading during baking.
- Handle the cookies carefully during assembly as the dough is delicate.
- Cooling the cookies completely before assembly ensures the powdered sugar topping stays intact and the jam doesn’t make the cookies soggy.
