Vegan Linzer Cookies
These classic vegan Linzer Cookies are the perfect balance between sweet and tart. This simple recipe is nut-free, so everyone can enjoy it!
Vegan Linzer cookies are an understated treat. Just a few ingredients come together to form gorgeous little bites of tart jam sandwiched inside tender shortbread cookies.
They are perfect for Valentine’s Day or the Holidays. This version contains no eggs, butter, or almonds, making it perfectly vegan and nut-free.
This recipe is adapted from the Austrian baking blog, Gute Kueche.
Ingredient Notes
- Unbleached all-purpose flour helps give the cookies more structure than bleached flour
- Vegan butter or margarine – Use the stick or block form and not the spreadable ones sold in tub as they could make the dough too soft. I used Country Crock Plant Butter.
- Confectioners’ sugar – helps make the cookies tender.
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon zest
- Soy milk
- Salt
- Preserves of your choice – black currant is traditional, but use your favourite. I used apricot and raspberry.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and add the vegan butter. Rub the flour and butter together between your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs. Make sure the butter is chilled; cold hands are great for this!
2. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and sift in the confectioners’ sugar.
3. Gently mix with a silicone spatula, then use your hands to bring a soft dough together. Don’t knead too much. If the dough is too dry, slowly add soy milk.
4. Shape it into a disc and wrap it with cling film. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour. The cookies need to be cold when they go into the oven; this makes them hold their shape as they bake.
5. Once the dough is chilled, split it in two and take one half from the refrigerator. This will make the bottom halves of the cookies. Dust two sheets of parchment paper with flour and roll the dough between them.
6. If the dough gets warm and softens while being rolled, slide it onto a baking tray and freeze for five minutes. This makes cutting the shapes out much easier.
7. Cut 24 circles out of the dough and place them on a lined baking tray. Chill them in the freezer, then place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C).
8. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned on the edges. Different ovens vary, so watch closely, particularly towards the end. Cool completely on the tray.
9. Roll out the other half of the dough; this makes the top halves of the cookies. Cut out 24 circles. Then, cut out holes in the middle of each cookie with a smaller cutter. Be careful not to break them; keep the dough cold.
10. Place these halves on another tray, bake and cool.
11. Place a small spoonful of preserve in the centre of the bottom halves of the cookies.
12. Dust the top halves with confectioners’ sugar, then place them on the bottom halves. Sandwich together and enjoy!
Key Tips to Follow
1. Use a gentle hand when bringing the dough ingredients together. This stops gluten from developing, keeping the cookies tender and perfectly crumbly.
2. Don’t skip refrigerating the dough. A warm dough spreads out in the oven, making cookies lose their shape.
3. Dust the cutters with flour to limit the dough from sticking to them.
4. Dust the top halves of the cookies with confectioners’ sugar before assembling. This prevents the preserves from looking cloudy.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
Variations:
- Fill the cookies with anything you like. Try my vegan pastry cream, vegan vanilla frosting or vegan chocolate frosting for a less-traditional Linzer.
- Swap lemon zest for orange or lime for a citrus twist. Vanilla can be swapped out too. Try almond flavoring or get creative with flavors!
Substitutions:
- Soy milk can be substituted for any other vegan plant milk (such as almond, oat or coconut).
- Confectioners’ sugar can be made by blending granulated sugar with a little cornstarch, but only with a powerful blender or food processor.
Storage Suggestion
These cookies are best eaten on the baking day as they will soften over time. You can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate for five days (or freeze).
If short on time, you could bake the cookies early and assemble them with the preserves on the day. Once baked, store in an airtight container at room temperature.
More Vegan Holiday Cookie Recipes
- Vegan Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Snickerdoodles
- Vegan Brandy Snaps
- Vegan Gingerbread Cookies
- Vegan Snowball Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Vegan Linzer Cookies (No Almond Flour)
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Sifter
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment paper
- 18-by-13 inch half sheet pan
Ingredients
Cookie dough:
- 2½ cup (300 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- â…› teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) vegan butter or margarine (not unsalted), (1½ sticks) chilled and diced, I used Country Crock Plant Butter
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar, scooped and leveled
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy milk
Filling:
- 6 tablespoons (150 g) preserves of your choice, I used raspberry and apricot
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) confectioners’ sugar for dusting, optional
Instructions
Make the cookie dough:
- Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl. Add the vegan butter and rub it in using your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.2½ cup (300 g) unbleached all-purpose flour ,¾ cup (170 g) vegan butter or margarine (not unsalted) ,⅛ teaspoon salt
- Add the vanilla and zest then sift in the confectioners’ sugar. Mix with a silicone spatula, then knead gently into a soft dough. Add the soy milk gradually if the dough is too dry to form a ball.1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar ,2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract ,1 teaspoon lemon zest ,1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy milk
- Shape it into a disk and wrap it with cling film. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Shape and bake the cookies:
- Remove ½ the dough and return the remainder to the fridge.
- Roll out the dough between two lightly floured sheets of parchment paper to â…› inch / 3mm thick.
- Cut out 24 circles at about 2¼ inches each. If the dough is too soft, slide it with the paper onto a baking tray and place it in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Place the cutouts on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Place it in the freezer. Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C).
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the edges. Cool completely on the tray.
- Roll out the other half of the dough. Cut out 24 circles then the shapes in the middle with smaller cookie cutters.
- Place them on another tray, chill if needed then and bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely on the tray.
Assemble the cookies:
- Add a small amount of the preserves in the center of the bottom half of the cookies.6 tablespoons (150 g) preserves of your choice
- Dust the top of the cookies with confectioners’ sugar and place them on the bottom halves. Sandwich together.2 tablespoons (16 g) confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Notes
- Use a gentle hand when bringing the dough ingredients together. This stops gluten from developing, keeping the cookies tender and perfectly crumbly.
- Don’t skip refrigerating the dough. A warm dough spreads out in the oven, making cookies lose their shape.
- Dust the cutters with flour to limit the dough from sticking to them.
- Dusting the cookies with confectioners’ sugar after sandwiching can make the preserve look cloudy.
- This recipe is adapted from Gute Kueche.