Description
Delicious Pistachio Linzer Cookies with a tender crumbly texture and vibrant green hue, sandwiched with sweet raspberry jam. Perfect for festive occasions or a delightful treat any time.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (gluten-free if needed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 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)
Other Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Grind pistachios: Add the shelled unsalted pistachios to a food processor and pulse or blend until finely ground. Transfer the ground pistachios to a bowl and whisk together with the all-purpose flour and salt until well combined.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl, combine the very soft unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract using a spatula until smooth with no butter clumps. Optionally, add 2-3 drops of green gel food coloring and stir to your desired green color.
- Add dry ingredients: Gradually add the flour and pistachio mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir until the dough starts to come together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be crumbly; use your hands to press it into a ball that holds together but remains slightly crumbly on the edges.
- Chill the dough: Shape the dough into a firm disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight to firm up.
- Cut the cookie dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch round or fluted cookie cutter to cut circles. For half the cookies, cut a smaller shape (heart or other) out of the centers using a smaller cutter or a Linzer cookie cutter.
- Bake the cookies: Place whole cookies on one baking sheet and heart-cutout cookies on another. Bake the cutout cookies for 7 minutes and the whole cookies for 8 minutes. Dust the heart-shaped cookies lightly with powdered sugar after removing from the oven. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Assemble the cookies: Spread approximately 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam on the bottom of each whole cookie. Gently top with the heart-shaped cookie to create a sandwich. Press lightly to combine without squeezing out the jam. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Cookie Cutter: Use any round or fluted cutter for the cookies and a smaller cutter for the centers. Linzer cookie cutters can simplify the process.
- Chilling: Do not skip the 2-hour chill; it prevents spreading and keeps shapes sharp.
- Make Ahead: Dough can be prepared and chilled 2–3 days ahead. Unfilled baked cookies freeze well and should be thawed overnight in the fridge before filling.
- Storage: Store cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Customization: Feel free to use any cookie shape and jam flavor you prefer for different variations.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 130 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 55 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
