These Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies are the perfect Christmas treat. Made with a gluten-free flour blend and a few other simple ingredients. These are some of the simplest cookies you could make! Keep it simple with one shape or get creative with various ones! These cookies also make a great gift!
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The story behind these Linzer Cookies:
This is actually a family recipe we've used for YEARS. I don't remember exactly which family member came up with these but we make them every Christmas. The ingredients are simple and the cookies always come out great. The only thing I changed in the recipe is the flour. I used gluten-free flour instead of regular all-purpose flour. My favorite flour for any cut out cookies is Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 baking flour. I've made a few different types of cookies with it and it always works great!
When I was a kid, I'd make a list of Christmas cookies I wanted to make and these ones would always be one of the first ones I'd write down. So many years have passed, I live in a different country but no matter what, making these Linzer cookies still brings me joy!
How to make these cookies:
In this recipe, I used strawberry jam with no added sugar because I love strawberries and frankly because it's the one I had on hand. You can use any flavor you like - apricot, blueberry, or raspberry are a few of my favorites. If you want to make these cookies extra special, you can use some homemade Nutella! I love them with this Healthy Nutella. I posted the recipe years ago but it's my favorite and I swear by it. So so so good.
Besides the jam, you only need 5 other ingredients to make these Gluten-free Linzer Cookies.
- the gluten-free flour mix (I like this one)
- powdered sugar (or powdered erythritol)
- softened butter (I used regular but you can use vegan)
- an egg yolk (no substitutions for this, unfortunately)
- lemon extract or lemon zest
That's it! Making these is super simple. Make the dough, chill it overnight, cut out cookies, finish them with jam, put them together, and dust with more powdered sugar if desired. You can find the full recipe below but it really is super simple.
A quick note about erythritol. It's a natural, keto, and sugar-free sweetener and I like using it from time to time. That being said, I don't like using it when you need greater amounts because some people might be a little sensitive to it. A common symptom is bloating if consumed in greater quantities. Which is my problem with it. So even though, I try to stay away from processed sugar as much as possible, I use it in this recipe because it's a special occasion and I want them to be just as good as they were when I was a kid! :)
More delicious gluten-free cookies:
Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge Bites
📖 Recipe
Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies
- Prep Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Czech
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Delicious soft Christmas Linzer cookies with berry jam and powdered sugar.
Ingredients
- 210g (1 ⅓ cup + 1tbsp + ½ tsp) gluten-free flour blend (+ more for dusting, I like Bob’s Redmill)
- 70 g (½ cup) powdered sugar (or sub powdered erythritol)
- 140g softened butter (sub vegan butter)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ tsp lemon extract (or 1 tsp fresh lemon zest)
- ½ cup jam of choice (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, apricot, etc.)
- Powdered sugar or powdered erythritol for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Into a big bowl, add the gluten-free flour blend and powdered sugar and stir to combine.
- Add the butter, cut into small chunks, the egg yolk, and the lemon extract or lemon zest.
- Stir with a spoon combining everything together. When it starts coming together, empty the bowl onto a clean surface and knead it with your hands until dough forms. Add a teaspoon of water or flour if the dough is too dry or too sticky. It will take a few minutes to knead before it all comes together so be patient before you add more liquid.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place into the fridge to chill overnight or for at least a few hours. It keeps in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Take the dough out of the fridge to soften a little before rolling out.
- Dust a clean flat surface with some of the gluten-free flour. Take half of the dough, place it on the floured surface and flip so both sides are covered.
- Roll the dough out to about 3mm thick carefully flipping once or twice while rolling out
- Cut out your desired shapes, making sure to have equal amounts of top and bottom shapes. The top piece should have a small hole so that you can see the jam. Take the scraps, roll them out again, dusting with more flour if needed. If you have an uneven number of shapes, make those the top pieces. Those ones like to break more.
- Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
- Let cool slightly on the baking sheet and then transfer them onto a flat plate or surface to cool completely. (Don’t use a plate because they might bend when they’re still warm.)
- When completely cool, spread about ½ teaspoon of the jam on each bottom piece of the Linzer cookies. Place the top piece on the jam and press gently to secure in place but be careful not to break the cookies. Be very gentle.
- Dust with icing sugar or powdered erythritol if desired.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge. (See notes)
Notes
These last quite a while in the fridge. Keep them in an airtight container for up to a month with a store-bought jam. If you're using nut butter, homemade chia jam, or jam that doesn't last that long after opening, it will shorten the shelf life. When in doubt, spread the jam only on a few of them and then the others later.
If you overcook the cookies slightly, carefully pull the baking paper with the cookies off the baking sheet immediately to prevent them from cooking any further. Or carefully transfer to a flat surface with a spatula.
The nutritional information is just an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information is not guaranteed.
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Gloria says
These cookies are always so pretty on the holiday treat tray. I know they would be a hit with even the non gluten free cookie monsters. I bet Santa would love them too.
Tracy says
These are gorgeous! I love those holiday recipes that have just been in the family so long you don't even know the origin anymore. Generations tested so you know it's good!
Chef Dennis says
These are heaven! My wife surely loved these Gluten-Free Linzer Cookies! They are so delicious.
Denise says
What a delicious cookie! I am eating these Linzer cookie with a cup of tea. I love that they are gluten free!
Erin says
I love these photos! Such perfect cookies and so festive looking. I've never actually made Linzer cookies. That needs to change!
Alex says
That is my favorite GF flour, too! It works so great is so many recipes. These are such a pretty cookie. I should try these out during Christmas break with my son. :)
Moop Brown says
These cookies look so perfect and like such a tasty holiday treat. Always looking for more gluten free options like these!
Nicoletta says
Linzer cookies always bring a smile to my face, they are so pretty! Wonderful that they are gluten free, we are making a few boxes of gf cookies to deliver and these are perfect.
Jamie says
What a gorgeous cookie! I love how the jam peaks through for an elegant presentation. I'm definitely adding this to my baking list this year!
Jo says
Linzer cookies is a must every year for Christmas in my home. These are so perfect and love the fact that they are gluten-free! What a tasty holiday treat!
Vee says
These look lovely and are quite tasty too, although it takes some getting used to the sandlike texture. I accidentally added a tablespoon of lemon zest instead of a teaspoon, which I can highly recommend as it covers the flavour of the glutenfree flour. The problem is that they fall apart at the slighest touch and the dough is really difficult to work with.
Veronika Sykorova says
I'm sorry to hear the recipe didn't work for you! What gluten-free flour did you use? Did you measure by weight or cups? I always use Bob's Red Mill 1:1 flour for best results though the cookies are still very fragile once baked. I find that to be true to an extend even with regular flour.
My family has been making these for years and they should be light, soft, and light - without any sandlike texture, this will depend on the flour used. The dough does take longer to kneed than regular American cookies.
Ann says
These came out PERFECT! They are so delicious. I made it with King Arthur GF flour. I have missed Linzer cookies since going GF. Not anymore!