Have I done it? The best Linzer cookies recipe does exist – It’s a Pistachio Linzer cookie with Orange Ginger Marmalade! Five cookies in, heckin’ amazing. The Sixth Pistachio Linzer cookie crushed into vanilla icecream? Even better. Before you get baking, make sure to read the afterword below to secure a smooth bake!
Best Easy Linzer Cookies Recipe - Tips & Tricks
Use any jam
This is the best Linzer cookies recipe because you can use any jam. I personally love the pop that comes from the orange ginger marmalade but you can use other jams for this Pistachio Linzer cookie. For example, Raspberry Pistachio Linzer cookies are considered traditional but in the holiday season, persimmons and pear are more readily available.
Choose Your Pace
I broke down the steps across a two-day schedule, but it can easily be made in one day if you chill the dough for the minimum two hours. Or like me, chill the dough to the maximum three days because you’re a glutton for procrastination.
Pistachio Linzer cookies are best eaten the same day but that hardly happens when you’re making a huge batch. In order to avoid a limp cookie, store them in a sealed container in a single layer, use wax paper in-between if you must (confectioners sugar will get sticky if they touch) for up to one week.
Let It Chill
If you’re having a difficult time rolling and cutting out the cookies, then it’s because the butter is softening and the dough is too sticky. Take turns freezing for 10 minutes or chilling for 30 minutes to firm up the dough. I promise it’s not you! It’s the dough.
Pistachio Linzer Cookies With Orange Ginger Marmalade
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 cups ap flour (250g)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup toasted unsalted pistachios, ground into a flour (150g)
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature (226g)
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar (100g)
- ⅓ cup dark molasses (79ml)
- 1 tsp ground cinammon
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground white pepper (optional)
- 1 egg
Orange Ginger Marmalade
- 1 jar orange marmalade (227g)
- ¼ cup candied ginger, chopped (40g)
confectioners sugar, to decorate
Instructions
Day One
- In a bowl, add sifted flour and baking powder. Add the ground pistachios with salt and combine.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, and molasses until fluffy. Add the ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and white pepper and beat until well incorporated ---the longer butter is combined with additional ingredients the more flavorful the butter is infused. Now add the egg, mix until well combined.
- The dry ingredients will be folded into the wet ingredients in three turns. Make sure there are no dry bits after each addition. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Lightly flour a surface and cut the dough in half and flatten each into a disk. Use two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper to roll the doughs to about ⅛ of an inch. Transfer to a baking sheet, wrap well in plastic and chill for two hours or overnight.
- In a food processor or blender, add the orange marmalade and chopped candied ginger. Should be very smooth. Set aside in the fridge for two hours or to use the next day.
Day Two
- Use a cookie cutter of about 3-inches in diameter to make 24 cookies, then a 1-inch cutter to remove the center of half the cookies. Roll out the scraps and chill till frim before cutting out more cookies. It’s ok to take turns chilling the dough if it gets too sticky and difficult.
- Preheat the oven to 325°f. If you can, position two racks in the center.
- Transfer cookies to a prepared baking sheet, about 12 cookies with an inch of space to each pan. Freeze the cookies for 10 minutes or until firm before baking.
- Cookies will have to be made in batches, try not to reuse a hot baking sheet.
- The whole cookies need 6 to 9 minutes in the oven. Keep an eye for golden edges! The cookies with the centers removed need only 5 minutes or so depending on how big your cookie cutter is.
- Once the cookies have cooled, spread the orange ginger marmalade generously on the whole cookies. Top with the windowed cookies and dust with confectioners sugar.
Cranberry & Buttermilk Pie
Looking for another festive recipe? Thanksgiving Leftover Pie - The cure for a virtual Holiday is tart cranberries paired with a rich custard. Pumpkin pie has been dethroned!
OKAY WOW best Linzer cookies recipe is right. Dare I say, genius?
Made these for x-mas and they were the hit of the year, even beating out grandma’s cookies (I know!). The dough was a little finicky and I definitely needed the extra fridge time but it was worth it.
When my family forgives me for making these three times in a row, I’ll make them again and see what I can do about making the dough effortlessly obedient!