Gingerbread-spiced almond Linzer sandwiches with ruby cranberry jam windows and a light snowy dusting of confectioners sugar.
Two 1/8-inch halves make a delicate sandwich. Uneven thick edges can stay underbaked.
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.
Cranberry Gingerbread Linzer Cookies
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
Gingerbread-spiced almond Linzer sandwiches with ruby cranberry jam windows and a light snowy dusting of confectioners sugar.
Ingredients
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.
Cookie dough
Spice blend
Filling
Dusting
Instructions
Mix
- Make the spiced doughBeat butter, sugar and spices until creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in yolk and vanilla. Whisk both flours and salt, then mix into the butter just until the dough comes together.
Chill
- Firm the doughDivide into two disks, wrap and chill 1 hour. Let stand a few minutes only if too hard to roll; extra softening adds time.
Shape
- Cut paired tops and basesRoll 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.
Bake
- Keep the edges paleHeat 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.
Fill
- Dust and sandwichDust 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 & Make-Ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | Up to 2 days | Cool completely, then store airtight in a cool room. |
| Refrigeration | Filled cookies: up to 5 days | Keep airtight and let stand briefly 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. |
| Cooked freezing | Up to 2 months | Freeze unfilled halves airtight; thaw covered, then dust and fill. |
| Restoration | Before serving | Warm undecorated cookies briefly at 300°F for 3–5 minutes if desired; cool before decorating. |
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
Approximate values per serving calculated from generic ingredient weights and the stated yield; excludes optional decoration and unused bench flour. Brands, sizing and actual yield change these estimates.
RECIPE REVIEWEDGINGERBREADGINGERBREAD COOKIES
Frequently Asked Questions
A few helpful answers before you bake.
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.
Follow The Cookie Index on Pinterest
Share a little gingerbread joy
Send this recipe to someone who loves to bake.
