Description
Delight in these Pistachio Linzer Cookies, featuring a tender, nutty dough made from finely ground pistachios and all-purpose flour, filled with sweet raspberry jam and dusted with powdered sugar. Perfectly chilled and baked to maintain their delicate shape, these classic sandwich cookies offer a festive twist with optional green gel food coloring, ideal for holiday celebrations or anytime you crave a refined, buttery treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free if needed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, very soft but not melted (170g)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring (optional)
Filling
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
For Dusting
- Powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Grind pistachios: Add the shelled unsalted pistachios to a food processor and pulse or blend until finely ground. Transfer them to a bowl and whisk together with the all-purpose flour and salt to evenly combine the dry ingredients.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine the very soft unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract using a spatula or low speed with an electric mixer until smooth with no butter clumps. If desired, add 2-3 drops of green gel food coloring and mix until the dough reaches your desired green hue.
- Add dry ingredients: Slowly add the pistachio-flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until the dough begins to pull together and starts to come away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be slightly crumbly; you may need to finish mixing it with your hands until it forms a ball that holds together firmly.
- Chill the dough: Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and firmly press it into a disc shape. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight to prevent spreading and to keep the shapes crisp during baking.
- Cut the cookie dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness, accepting that edges may crumble slightly. Use a 2-inch round or fluted cookie cutter to cut full circles. Then cut smaller shapes from the centers of half the cookies to create the classic Linzer cookie look.
- Bake the cookies: Place the cut-out center cookies on one baking sheet and the full cookies on another, as full cookies bake for a minute longer. Bake the center-cut cookies for 7 minutes and the whole cookies for 8 minutes. Dust the center-cut cookies with powdered sugar immediately after baking. Let both cool on the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble the Linzer sandwiches: Spread one teaspoon of raspberry jam on the bottom side of each whole cookie. Carefully top each jam-covered cookie with a powdered sugar-dusted cutout cookie, pressing gently to form a sandwich. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days for best freshness.
Notes
- Cookie Cutter: Any round or fluted cookie cutter and a smaller cutter for centers can be used; pre-made Linzer cookie cutters with heart shapes make festive designs.
- Chilling: Don’t skip chilling the dough for 2 hours, as it helps prevent spreading and enforces sharp cookie edges.
- Make ahead: Dough can be prepared and chilled 2–3 days ahead. Unfilled baked cookies freeze well; thaw overnight in the fridge before assembling with jam.
- Storage: Store cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Shape and Jam: Feel free to use any cookie cutter shapes or jams you prefer for variety.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie sandwich
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
