With my gluten-free Linzer cookies, a buttery soft shortbread gets a nutty dose from almond flour. These buckwheat cookies, sandwiched with delicious fruit jam, are a delightful holiday bake, made with simple pantry ingredients and little effort!
These eggless Linzer cookies look fancy but really are super simple to make. The dough comes together quickly and is easy to work with. The flavors of buckwheat and almond flours complement the sweet strawberry jam well. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are a Holiday classic!
Linzer and Spritz cookies were one of the first Christmas cookies I baked, some 15 years ago. From then on, these are baked every year in December because I can make them in all shapes, sizes, and jam fillings. Needless to say, I have a lot of fun with them!
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What Are Linzer Cookies?
The origins of Linzer cookies are Austrian. Linzertorte is a traditional Austrian dessert torte/tart from the Linz region in the country, which is where the cookies get their name from.
The classic dessert is a pastry, topped with fruit preserves. Linzer cookies use mostly the same ingredients and have a similar flavor, but are just presented differently.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
These buttery, nutty, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are irresistible!
They look absolutely gorgeous and festive. Perfect for your Holiday cookie box!
These eggless Linzer cookies are a breeze to make. The dough comes together quickly and doesn't need much chilling time.
You get a cookie and a dessert in one go!
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: I used a combination of buckwheat and almond flour. Almond flour gives a lovely sweet nutty flavor that perfectly complements the earthiness of buckwheat flour. But please feel free to use any gluten-free flour you prefer.
Butter: Makes the cookies tender and rich. I used salted butter. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, please add 1/8 teaspoon of salt along with the flours.
Sugar: I like using icing sugar, also called powdered sugar in this recipe. It melds easily in the butter and makes a smooth dough.
Jam: For filling the cookies. You can use any flavor you like, I love strawberry jam here. Homemade jams are also wonderful for this recipe - you can try my strawberry chia jam, easy fig jam, or my 3-ingredient persimmon jam too!
Vanilla extract: This is great for rounding up the flavors. You can use storebought or homemade vanilla extract.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies
Even with buckwheat flour and no eggs, the cookies stay buttery soft, slightly nutty, and utterly delicious thanks to the almond meal and butter!
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat.
Step 2: Beat the butter in a large bowl, until smooth. Add the sugar. Beat until fluffy.
Step 3: Mix in the vanilla extract, buckwheat flour, and almond meal. Use your hands to bring together the dough gently.
Step 4: Divide the dough into half. Wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or so.
Step 5: Flour your work surface well, working with one dough ball at a time, and roll out into a rough circle, about 1/8" thick.
Step 6: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter, to cut out the cookies. Use a smaller heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the centers of half of the cookies. As you will be sandwiching the cookies, make sure there is an equal number of whole cookies and cookies with cutouts.
Step 7: Place them on the baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until golden.
Step 8: Cool the cookies completely and sprinkle the cutout cookies with icing sugar.
Step 9: Now assemble the cookie sandwiches. Place one whole cookie, right side down, put a small teaspoon of jam in the center, and spread it gently. Place the cutout cookie on top. Press it slightly. Continue with the rest of the cookies.
Step 10: Your festive and delicious Linzer cookies are ready to serve!
Top Tips
- If your dough seems too sticky. You can do 2 things - add a little bit more flour or chill the dough for a longer time.
- If your dough is too dry, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- You can make the dough ahead of time, up to 2 days in advance in the refrigerator. You will need to let the cold dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling it out.
Linzer Cookies Recipe FAQs
These buckwheat almond Linzer cookies keep well for 4 to 5 days in an air-tight container. Beyond that, they begin to get a bit moist (although the taste is still great). So, if you’re making a big batch ahead of time for holiday gifting, assemble them on the day of or just before you’re serving.
The recipe is already eggless, so all you have to do is use plant-based butter!
Absolutely! You can fill these gluten-free Linzer cookies with any kind of jam you like. You can also use homemade apple butter, caramel sauce, lemon curd, or even Nutella.
More Festive Cookie Ideas
📖 Recipe
Gluten-free Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup Butter I use salted butter
- 1/2 cup Icing sugar Plus more for dusting on the cookies.
- 1 cup Buckwheat flour
- 1/2 cup Almond meal
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Strawberry jam You can use any jam of your choice. You may need more.
- Icing sugar for dusting on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat. Keep a 2" star-shaped cookie cutter and a smaller star-shaped cookie cutter handy. You can use any shape though.
- Beat the butter in a large bowl, until smooth. Add the sugar. Beat until fluffy.
- Mix in the vanilla extract, buckwheat flour and almond meal. Use your hands to bring together the dough gently.
- Divide the dough into half. Roll each half into a disc. Wrap each disc with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes or so.
- Flour your work surface well, working with one dough ball at a time, roll out into a rough circle, about 1/8" thick.
- Use a heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out the cookies. Use a smaller heart shaped cookie cutter to cut out the centers of half of the cookies. As you will be sandwiching the cookies, make sure there are equal number of whole cookies and cookies with cutouts.
- Place them on the baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes, until golden.
- Cool the cookies completely and sprinkle the cutout cookies with icing sugar.
- Now assemble the cookies. Place one whole cookie, right side down, put a small teaspoon of jam in the center, and spread it gently. Place the cutout cookie on top. Press it slightly. Continue with the rest of the cookies.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If your dough seems too sticky. You can do 2 things - add a little bit more flour or chill the dough for a longer time.
- If your dough is too dry, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- You can make the dough ahead of time, up to 2 days in advance in the refrigerator. You will need to let the cold dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling it out.
- You can use any kind of jam or filling to sandwich the cookies.
- Store the cookies in an air-tight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
Mm says
Ours turned out crumbly and did not stay together. They tasted good, love the ingredients, but they just didn’t work for us!
Natasha Minocha says
So sorry this recipe didn't work out for you, Melissa. Thank you so much for trying it out though. I appreciate your honest feedback and your support. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
Siri says
Can we use whole wheat flour and what is almond meal? Powder of almonds?
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Siri, yes, wholewheat will work fine. There may be a bit of difference in the texture though. Yes, almond meal is almond powder. Hope this helps. 🙂
Pooja says
I will surely give it a try
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you so much! xx
Ingrid says
Yum...buckwheat, I have to use this recipe to make Linzer cookies from now on!
Awesome post Tasha.
natashaminocha says
Thank you so so much Ingrid!! Really happy you stopped by! xoxo