We Gave Classic Linzer Cookies a Gorgeous, Hazelnut-Blackberry Twist

These festive cookies will brighten up your holiday spread. This is our take on the Austrian classic Linzer sandwich cookie, made here with delicious hazelnut meal and an irresistible blackberry filling. Happy holidays!

Hazelnut-Blackberry Linzer Cookies

Yield: 12 cookie sandwiches
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients

6 1/2 tablespoons softened butter
1 cup raw sugar
1 packed cup hazelnut meal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup orange juice
Powdered sugar for dusting
Blackberry jam for filling

Instructions

Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high speed for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Stir together hazelnut meal, flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add into butter mixture along with orange zest, vanilla extract, and orange juice. Mix to combine. Scrape batter out and cover with plastic film.

Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper until about 1/4-inch thick. Place back in fridge for 20 minutes. Using a 2 1/2″ round cookie cutter, cut out the cookies. Transfer rounds to the parchment-lined baking sheets.

Use your smallest cookie cutter to make a peekaboo cutout in the center of half of the cookie rounds. Bake in oven 8 to 11 minutes, or until the edges are golden. Let cool slightly on pan before transferring to a cooling rack.

To assemble, lightly dust cookies with the holes in them with powdered sugar.

Turn the remaining cookies bottom-side up and spoon 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of jam into the center and spread towards the edges. Top with sugar-dusted cookies.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont