Raspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies
Ok, let’s be honest. Gift giving can be hard, right? Sometimes we buy gifts out of necessity, but often, we do it because we love those people. We want to show them they’re awesome! That they rock! That they make our lives better than a turtleneck on the coldest day of the year. So I ask you, is there really a gift that can encompass all of those sentiments? Is there such thing as the perfect gift?
I’ve got a lot of people on my Christmas shopping list this year. There’s my children (who need nothing), my husband (who only wants things he can pick out himself), and then my parents (who have everything they could ever want and then some). Sometimes I get stumped in the hustle of the season, and I make the tragic mistake of trusting Google to help me with my holiday shopping. I find myself typing, “What to get for the dad who has everything” or “What to buy for my annoyingly picky husband” and “What to buy for children that won’t clutter my living room or serve as a choking hazard.” Shockingly, Google has terrible answers to these questions.
So please help. How do we give tangible expressions of our love for the people who matter most? WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO PUT UNDER THE TREE FOR ALL THESE VERY IMPORTANT HUMANS? On the off chance that there is a baker on your Christmas shopping list, you are in luck. You have landed in the internet’s promise land, because I’m about to tell you what to get for the home baker on your list who has everything. Ready? Here it is!
The Home Baker Gift Guide!
- Bakers Gonna Bake Sweatshirt – A nod to Taylor in cozy sweatshirt form from Miss Jones Baking Co.
- Recipe Box – Store all your favorite recipes in this floral tin from Rifle Paper Co.
- Mini Dutch Ovens – Personal-sized desserts couldn’t look any cuter in these Ballarini ovens with lids.
- Cookie Swap Plate – This adorable plate with recipe cards and linen gift tag is the Christmas gift that keeps on giving.
- BergHOFF Perfect Slice Pan – Portion control bakeware that is so cool, even Oprah endorses it.
- Apron – These Hedley & Bennett aprons are the “It” item in kitchen fashion right now.
- Marble Rolling Pin – This is a kitchen item I wouldn’t mind leaving right on the counter.
- Copper Mixing Bowls – Mixing bowls that are pretty enough to be used as a serving dish.
- Bundt Pan – Nordic Ware bundt pans are a must in any home baker’s arsenal of equipment. This one is my favorite.
- Eat Cake for Breakfast Oven Mitt Set – Cheeky and useful, this Kate Spade set is perfect for the girly baker.
- French Butter Keeper – This ceramic dish keeps butter fresh at room temperature.
- Cookie and Coffee Gift Set – Gourmet cookies and coffee- a match made in heaven. I use G Momma’s cookies in a few of my recipes (look here and here!)
I hope that is helpful. These are some of my very favorite items and brands, and I feel confident that the bakers on your list will LOVE these items. If you’re shopping for a person that is new to the baking scene, be sure to check out my wish list from last year! It’s full of items every home baker needs!
Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Ok, now let’s talk raspberry lemon linzer cookies.
I have had linzer cookies on my “to make” list for a long time. They’re beautiful, incredibly festive, and I just love the combination of almond with fruity jams. I finally got around to nailing down a favorite recipe, and I am thrilled to share it with you today. These raspberry lemon linzer cookies are the bomb.
Linzer cookies are little sandwiched treats made by filling almond cookies with fruit jams or ganaches. These particular cookies are made with almond flour and a bit of lemon zest which go over-the-moon perfectly with the raspberry filling I chose. While they may look like a doozy to make, I think you’ll find they’re rather simple.
Making the Cookies
To prepare these raspberry lemon linzer cookies, we start with the cookie dough. Cream butter and sugar together before adding egg, lemon zest, and vanilla. The dry ingredients are added next to form a dough that you’ll find is similar to a cutout cookie. Pat the dough into two flat round disks and chill briefly in the fridge.
When ready to bake, roll out the cookie dough and cut out small round circles of dough. I use a biscuit cutter, but any round cutter smaller than 3″ will do. Next, use a tiny cutter of any shape to trim out the centers of half of the cookies. These cookies will serve as the lids to your cookie sandwiches and the little cutout will allow for the jam to peek through the center of the cookies. I used geometric cookie cutters, but any teeny tiny shape will work perfect. Bake the cookies in the oven and allow to cool completely.
Serving the Cookies
When you’re ready to assemble your raspberry lemon linzer cookies, sift powdered sugar over the top halves of your cookies. Spoon a small teaspoon of jam onto the bottom cookies and smear just to the edges. Place the lid cookies on top of the jam-topped cookies and wah-la! Raspberry lemon linzer cookies! See, I told you they were easier than they look!
These cookies are a terrific balance of sweet and tart and will taste good for days. Keep in mind that the moisture from the jam will tend to dissolve the powdered sugar, so if you’d like these cookies to stay looking as good as they taste, try to assemble them as close to the time of serving as possible. These raspberry lemon linzer cookies are a lovely way to celebrate the holidays, so give them a try and let me know what you think. I have a feeling you’re going to love them!
Happy baking, happy shopping, and most of all, happy holidays. Love y’all!
If you like these raspberry lemon linzer cookies, you should check out:
Mint Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
Lavender Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
PrintRaspberry Lemon Linzer Cookies
The raspberry lemon linzer cookies are sweet and tart, the perfect cookie for your holiday celebrations. These cookies are festive and perfect for cookie exchanges!
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 30
Ingredients
- 1 cup (230 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150 gm) sugar
- 1–1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–1/2 cups (260 gm) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75 gm) almond flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Raspberry jam, for filling the cookies
- Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting the cookies
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the zest, egg, and vanilla and beat briefly to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the flour, almond flour, and salt. Stir on low until the dough comes together in the bowl.
- Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and divide into two equal parts. Pat each part out into flat rounds and wrap the disks in plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour or up to 3 days.
- When ready to bake your cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking pans with a sheet of parchment paper. Use a floured rolling pin to roll one disc of dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/8-1/4” thick. Use a 2” round cutter to cut out rounds of dough. Use a small decorative cutter to cut a shape out of the insides of half of the cookies. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets an inch apart. You can set the shape of the cookies by placing the whole pan of cookies in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Bake in the preheated oven for about 8 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes and then cool completely on a cooling rack. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.
- When ready to fill the cookies, use a sifter to dust the tops of all of the cookies with the decorative cutout. Spoon a ½ teaspoon of the jam on top of the bottom cookies and spread out a bit. Sandwich the cookies together and serve!
