Original German Linzer cookies "Spitzbuben"

Southern German Christmas cookies recipe

I have this German Christmas cookies recipe for Linzer cookies from my mother-in-law. This recipe for Christmas cookies comes originally from Austria, from the city of Linz.

My cookie recipe is the German version, without the grounded almonds. The recipe below is simply a shortbread cookie recipe altered into Linzer cookies.

As baking recipes go, some get altered according to one’s family tastes. My husband family changed a little the original recipe to the one below. I hope that you will like it as much as we do.

This shortbread cookies recipe is actually not that difficult. All you need to do is cut out the cookies. Now, I make many different cookies, and these Linzer ones are one of the easiest.

They taste great and my family in Poland now is baking the same cookies. They even became my niece’s favorite. She bakes them with my mom couple of times per year.

So I encourage you to try them out, they are just yummy – crunchy, sweet, small, and fit perfectly in your mouth without leaving plenty of crumbs.

To make these cookies, you need a special Linzer Tart Cookie Cutter , but if you don’t have one, you could use two different forms: one medium sized round cutter and a small round or star cutter.

You first cut out the cookies with the medium size cutter. Bake half of them and from the other half cut in the middle a small round or star. Bake the rings. That way you will get the bottom and the top of the cookie.

Enjoy this shortbread cookies recipe.

Linzer Cookies with Red Currant Jam (Spitzbuben)

Ingredients:
• 500g flour (3 1/3 cup)
• 250 g butter (8.8 oz)
• 250 g sugar (1 ¼ cup)
• 2 eggs
• Powder sugar for dusting (optional)

You also need:
• 2 cookie cutters – one bigger and one smaller or a special Linzer Tart Cookie Cutter
• 10 tablespoons of red or black currant jam or cranberry jelly.

Preheat oven to 170°C – 340°F

Prepare the easy cookies:
• Knead the flour, butter, sugar, and eggs to smooth dough. I recommend using the hook attachment on most mixers, but you could as well use your hands.
• Roll the dough until 1/8” thick and cut out the cookies. Try to make the same amount of cookies with and without the hole.
• Place them on a baking paper, but bake separately the tops and bottoms since baking time might vary.
• Bake at 170°C for about 7-10 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Cool them off and ‘glue’ the top and the bottom together by spooning a little of the red currant jelly onto the cookie w/o the hole and placing the top cookie - the one with the hole.
• If you like, sprinkle powder sugar on top.
• You can use a different jelly, but try to find one that is a little sour.

Linzer cookies can be stored for up to 2 months in a metal container. If you store them that long, they will lose their crispiness with time. I find them the best in the beginning since then they are very crispy. This year I set them together shortly before serving and they were always crispy. If you choose to do that, you will be “gluing” them every day, like I was.

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