Gingerbread-spiced almond Linzer sandwiches with ruby cranberry jam windows and a light snowy dusting of confectioners sugar.
After assembly, a short airtight rest lets the cranberry jam soften the almond cookies slightly for a tender sandwich.
Keep the cut-out tops thin and dust them before assembly so the powdered sugar remains visible around each jam window.
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Cranberry Gingerbread Linzer Cookies Recipe
Per tray: 12–15 minutes · 2 trays of 15 halves, baked one at a time
Allow 183 minutes: 45 hands-on, 90 chilling, 28 for all baking trays, 20 cooling. Cooling includes the pan rest. Optional decoration, ingredient warm-up and extra trays add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Electric mixer and mixing bowl
- Rolling pin and parchment
- 2 1/2-inch cutters and 1-inch center cutter
- Two 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Fine sieve and wire rack
- US measures and digital scale
Ingredients
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Filling
Dusting
Scale ingredients and US equivalents, including eggs. Keep cookie size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. More trays add time; weigh beaten egg for fractional batches.
Instructions
Make the spiced dough
- Beat butter, sugar and spices until creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in yolk and vanilla. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour and salt, then mix into the butter just until the dough comes together.
Firm the dough
- Divide into two disks, wrap and chill 1 hour. Let stand a few minutes only if too hard to roll; extra softening adds time.
Cut paired tops and bases
- Roll 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured parchment. Cut 30 shapes about 2 1/2 inches wide. Cut a small window in 15 of them. Transfer to lined pans, 1 inch apart, and refrigerate the shaped halves 30 minutes. Keep narrow cut-outs simple to avoid broken points.
Keep the edges pale
- Heat to 350°F (175°C) conventional, or 325°F fan. Bake 12–15 minutes until edges just begin to color; windowed tops may finish sooner. Cool 5 minutes on the pan, then 15 minutes on a rack.
Dust and sandwich
- Dust only the windowed tops with confectioners sugar. Spread about 1 teaspoon thick cranberry jam on each solid base and add its matching top. Do not overfill; jam should show through the window without squeezing out.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Roll thinly and evenly
Two 1/8-inch halves make a delicate sandwich. Uneven thick edges can stay underbaked.
Chill the cut shapes
The second 30-minute chill helps small windows and points retain their outlines.
Dust before filling
Sugar stays white on the top cookie instead of dissolving into the exposed jam.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 2 days | Cool completely, then store airtight in a cool room. After filling, let the cookies rest for 12–24 hours so the jam can soften the almond shortbread slightly. |
| Refrigeration | Filled cookies: up to 5 days | Keep filled cookies airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let stand briefly at room temperature before serving; the jam softens the cookies over time. |
| Raw freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze portions airtight; thaw covered in the refrigerator before baking. |
| Baked freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze unfilled halves airtight; thaw covered, then dust and fill. |
| Restoring | Before serving | Do not reheat filled Linzer cookies. For the best texture, allow them to rest airtight for 12–24 hours after assembly. |
Notes
- These are gingerbread-spiced almond Linzer cookies with no molasses. Use thick cranberry jam or preserves, not a watery sauce. The nuts, cut-out window and jam sandwich distinguish them from plain gingerbread cut-outs.
Nutrition
Estimated nutrition per serving; brands and portion sizes vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use cranberry sauce?
Use thick jam or preserves. Watery cranberry sauce can soak the cookie and leak.
Why do I chill after cutting?
Cold shaped dough helps keep the window and fine outlines tidy in the oven.
Are these molasses cookies?
No. They are almond Linzer sandwiches flavored with gingerbread spices.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Gingerbread Cookies Ideas collection.
