I can’t believe I’ve never made linzer cookies before! Where have you been all my life?! These are very much a shortbread type cookie and I made two fillings because, well cookies.
There were so many recipes that I wanted to make over the Christmas holiday, and there just wasn’t enough time to fit in everything I wanted to do. As usual I was cramming baking between regular mom stuff and there are never enough hours in the day to do either job 100%.
I’ve made so many recipes from the King Arthur website. If you haven’t made anything from there, go check it out now. I actually found their website when I was cooking and baking gluten free for my oldest. He was diagnosed with celiac disease when he was about 9 or 10 (he’s almost 20 now!). It was so hard back then, because gluten free wasn’t widely available. I was making my own gluten free flour blends and baking up a lot of fails. Baking without gluten is a science and so easy to mess up.
So, back to the linzer cookies. I found the cookie recipe on the King Arthur website and used the marionberry lavender jam I made last summer. I wanted two fillings and found a really good cranberry filling from Adventures in Cooking, which I tweaked a bit to use blood oranges. Side note: another food/blogger/photographer crush going on here. Everything Eva does is simply amazing. From her food pairings, to her photography, to her workshops.
Linzer cookies should not be saved just for Christmas. I’m saying make these year round! The marionberries used in the jam I made is definitely a summer fruit, and cranberries are a winter fruit. But there really is no wrong filling for these. If you want to make both fillings, there will be lots left over. Perfect on toast or pancakes.
I’d love to hear how yours turned out. Drop me a comment below and tag @fig_and_fork on social media!
shop the post
%2C445%2C291%2C400%2C400%2Carial%2C12%2C4%2C0%2C0%2C5_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg)
linzer cookies with marionberry lavender and cranberry fillings
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup | 3.5 ounces granulated sugar
- grated zest of 1 blood orange
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup | 5 ounces all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the cranberry filling:
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup | 1.75 ounces granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon blood orange juice
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 ounces mascarpone
- powdered sugar
For the marionberry filling:
- 1 cup marionberries (blackberries work too)
- 1/4 cup | 1.75 ounces granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon King Arthur ClearJel
- 1/2 teaspoon Pelindaba lavender, crushed
Instructions
To make the cookies:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter, sugar, and zest until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl as needed and mix for about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl blend together the flour, almond flour, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide dough into two pieces and flatten into discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk to 1/4″ thick and cut out 2 1/2 ” circles. You need an even number of cookies since they will be paired.
- Use a small cookie cutter to cut out a shape from the center of half the cookies. Place all cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and place in freezer.
- Preheat oven to 350 while cookies are chilling.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes. They will look just set and starting to lightly brown on the edges. Remove from oven, but leave them on the cookie sheet to cool further. When they are cooled, transfer to a wire rack.
For the cranberry blood orange filling:
- In a medium saucepan, bring cranberries, sugar, and water to a boil over medium heat. Turn down to medium low and add the cinnamon. Continue to cook and stir for 5-7 minutes until mixture thickens to the consistency of jam. Break up some of the cranberries for a more textured filling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Set aside.
For the marionberry lavender filling:
- In a small bowl, toss sugar with ClearJel. Add in marionberries and toss to coat.
- In a medium saucepan bring marionberry mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add in crushed lavender. Continue stirring until mixture thickens.
- Remove from heat and set aside.
To assemble cookies:
- Pair one cookie bottom with a cookie cutout (this will be the top cookie). Sprinkle powdered sugar on the top cookie and spread about a teaspoon of either filling on the bottom cookie.
- These cookies are best consumed the day they are made since the jam will soften the cookie quite a bit. If you want to make them ahead, freeze them in a plastic container with parchment between each layer.
Notes
I’ve included a link to my favorite store in Portland called Pelindaba Lavender. They have the best products! And lucky for you – they always offer free shipping! Score! You can use any culinary lavender, but I just wanted to support a local small business.
Reminds me of Matlock!