Last-minute Christmas Linzer Cookies 3in1

It’s only a week till Christmas, and I still didn’t bake anything! If you are in a time warp like me, here is one simple, last-minute Christmas Linzer cookies recipe. This recipe has been in our family forever. And I will show you 3 different looks you can make out of one dough batch.

Ingredients list for the basic Christmas Linzer cookie

• 300 g (10.6 oz) all-purpose flour
• 80 g (2.8 oz) confectioners sugar
• 10 g vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 200 g (7 oz = 14 tbsps) real unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground bio lemon peel
• red or black currant jam

Additional ingredients for Decorating & Filling

• finely chopped nuts for sprinkle (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts,…)
• 3 tbsps of chocolate for dipping

How to make 3in1 Christmas Linzer Cookies

This amount is good for about 70 cookies the size of 1.5″. Whenever you can, be sure to use the weight to measure the ingredients. It is the only precise way to achieve consistency. It is essential with this recipe, or your cookies will just taste differently. A cup of flour can be quite a different amount for different people. 10 oz or 100 g is exactly the same for everybody!

Blend all the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, blend together all the dry ingredients. That is flour, sugar, and vanilla sugar if you are using one.

Add the other ingredients

Add softened butter and cut it up into the flour mixture. Add a couple of egg yolks and a pinch of fresh lemon peel. You can add the vanilla extract if you didn’t use the flavored sugar before. Actually, the amount of the extract depends on the type of vanilla extract you have, so maybe you can use just 1/2 tsp. Start blending in your blender or kneading on your pastry board if you don’t have a machine. When the dough starts to form in your blender transfer it to your pastry board to give it a nice kneading until the dough becomes smooth.

Let rest

When you have a nice smooth dough, make a dough ball. Place it on a little plate, cover it with plastic wrap, and put it in a fridge for a few hours or best, overnight. (if you have more different types of dough in a fridge, it is not a bad idea to label them. 🙂

Get ready

When you are ready to make your cookies take the dough out of the fridge about 1 hour before you need it, so it can come up to room temperature and soften. Start preheating your oven at 320°F/ 160°C.

Knead and roll the dough

Knead the dough to make it pliable, cut it in half, and roll out one half to a 1/8″ thick sheet.

Cut out the cookies

Cut about 28 same shapes with your cookie cutter and place them evenly on a lined baking sheet.

Bake

Bake for about 9-10 minutes. Watch closely, so they don’t burn. Take them out when the edges start turning pink. The cookies will darken a little more after you take them out. You don’t want them brown, and you don’t want them white, either!

Cut out top parts – Version 1

Cut out 28 more of the same shape, only this time cut a hole in the center of each cookie. Brush with a whisked egg or leftover egg white from your dough-making. Sprinkle with finely chopped nuts of your choice.

Bake

Bake and adjust the time or temperature slightly based on your experience with the first batch, so these ones are light gold. They will be visible on top, so they should be pretty. Also, beware that if some of the cookies are just slightly thinner than others, they will bake faster and may turn brow. So try to keep them as consistent as possible.

Cut out and bake more shapes

Now pick different 2 shapes and cut them out, and make the rest of the cookies without egg and nuts topping. Alternate them on your cookie sheet, so you end up with an even number of tops and bottoms.

Filling

After all the cookies cooled down properly. Join all the bottoms with the tops using a small amount of Red currant or Black currant jam. Those are the best, but you can use some other piquant jam, too.

Finishing your last-minute Christmas Linzer cookies – Version 1

The Nut sprinkled flowers are done.

Finishing your last-minute Christmas Linzer cookies – Version 2

The sugar-dusted snowflakes only need to be dusted with sugar.

Finishing your last-minute Christmas Linzer cookies – Version 3

The stars will need to rest for an hour or so, until the jam thickens and you can handle the cookies well. Then dip the edge in melted chocolate to finish.

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If you want a detailed guide just watch the Last Minute Christmas Cookies video on my CraftyHanded YouTube channel… Or if you like what I do and would like to support me, please become my Patron.

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