Grinch Linzer Cookies
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Turn your traditional Linzer cookies into a charming holiday version with these Grinch cookies that feature tender and buttery almond flour sandwich cookies filled with strawberry jam. These cookies are the perfect pop of color on cookie trays or in the spread for a Grinch themed party!
A CLASSIC HOLIDAY COOKIE WITH A TWIST
Surely you’ve seen a classic Linzer cookie. If not and you’re wondering “uhh… What is a Linzer cookie anyway…” Just take a gander at this traditional recipe or look at the photo above and give yourself some time to hold space for how beautiful a cookie can be!
While Linzer cookies are traditionally a basic almond flour based sandwich cookie with a fruity filling, folks love to change up the cookie flavor as well as the filling to make all kinds of flavor combinations and aesthetic variations.
The bottom and top portions of the buttery Linzer cookies are the same dough, but the top gets stamped with a cut-out shape in the center so you can see the filling peeking through. This lends itself to creative shapes, colors, and sizes of Linzer cookies that make Linzers the perfect way to bring pizzazz to a dessert.
Since I love Linzer cookies and have a soft spot for festive cookies, I knew that my 12 Days of Cookies collection deserved a green tinted, heart-shaped version of these filled Christmas cookies perfect for adding pops of colors to cooke trays or being a show-stopper in a Grinch themed party spread.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Deep breaths. I know this looks like it will be overwhelming and/or difficult. I’m here to promise you that yes, this Grinch Christmas cookie recipe does require some patience and care, but it’s nothing over-complicated. If you are a frequent cut-out sugar cookie baker, these Grinch cookies will be a cinch!
For these cookies, you’ll need some specific equipment. You can, of course, improvise, but I highly recommend being sure you have the exact right tools if you want to replicate this recipe as closely as possible (we’ll get there in a second).
THE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need 10 ingredients + food coloring to make these cookies.
For the Linzer cookie dough recipe, you’ll need:
• all-purpose flour
• almond flour
• baking powder
• salt
• unsalted butter
• granulated sugar
• egg
• vanilla extract
• green food coloring
• powdered sugar
• strawberry spread
THE FOOD COLORING
I prefer gel coloring over traditional water-based food coloring as the gels tend to be brighter, bolder, and don’t affect the cookie dough as much as the liquid ones do.
For these Grinch Linzer cookies, I used a mix of leaf green, forest green, and electric green gel colors from AmeriColor. You can make these cookies as basic green or as lime green as you prefer. The red heart in the center + whatever green exterior you come up with will be unmistakable as a nod to that sneaky Grinch.
THE EQUIPMENT
You will be working with two discs of dough separately to form the bottoms (whole circle cookies) and tops (circles with a heart cut out from the center) of the Linzer cookies. You will either need a 2″ round or fluted cookie cutter and a 1″ heart cookie cutter for the heart holes or a set of cookie cutters made specifically for Linzer cookies.
This is the exact Linzer cookie cutter set I have and used for these cookies.
Leave out the green and use this recipe to make raspberry Valentine cookies!
STEP-BY-STEP: HOW TO MAKE GRINCH LINZER COOKIES
My best advice is to read the recipe a couple times so you understand what you’re getting into. These cookies are not complicated, so long as you understand the goal and how to get there. Remember you’ll need to build in some time for chilling the dough.
MAKE & CHILL THE DOUGH
STEP #1: start by whisking together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium size bowl, then set this mixture aside.
STEP #2: next, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Be sure it is very smooth and creamy.
STEP #3: add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
STEP #4: next, reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until it starts to come together, then add your food coloring. Continue mixing until the dough comes together and the color is evenly spread. The dough may be crumbly, but this is ok. Keep mixing until it comes together or use a spatula to bring it all together.
STEP #5: divide the dough into two equal portions, gently flatten each portion into a disc, then wrap each disc individually in plastic wrap to chill.
Since these cookies are a type of cut-out cookie, it is imperative you measure the flour and almond flour precisely. See the recipe notes for specific instructions on this step.
MAKE THE BOTTOM COOKIES
Once your cookie dough is thoroughly chilled, work with one disc at a time to create your tops and bottoms.
STEP #6: dust your work surface with flour, then remove one disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator and roll out to ¼” thick. The dough may become sticky and/or crack as you work, but this is ok. Use flour and your hands to keep the dough soft and intact as you work with it.
To keep your cut-out cookie dough uniform, use ¼” dowels attached to your rolling surface and roll your cookie dough between the dowels. Here is a video example of what I’m describing.
STEP #7: using a 2″ round or fluted cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Re-roll the remaining dough until you use all of it. You should get about 24 whole circles.
STEP #8: arrange 8 whole circle cookies 1″ apart on one of the prepared baking sheets and bake, then remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE TOP COOKIES
STEP #9: while the whole circle cookies bake, remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator and repeat the process using the heart shaped cookie cutter from your Linzer cookie cutter kit OR the same 2″ cutter from the whole circle cookies + a 1″ heart cookie cutter for the top circle cookies. We will call these “donut” cookies for differentiating in the recipe.
STEP #10: arrange 8 donut cookies 1″ apart on one of the prepared baking sheets and bake, then remove from the oven and to cool before assembling sandwiches.
ASSEMBLE THE SANDWICHES
STEP #11: before assembling the cookies, dust the donut cookies (the tops of the cookie sandwiches) with powdered sugar, if desired. This is an optional but traditional step. Since I loved the green color, I chose to only dust about half of the top cookies.
STEP #12: arrange the whole circle cookies (the bottoms of the cookie sandwiches) on a surface, then spread a scant ½ teaspoon of strawberry spread on each cookie.
STEP #13: carefully top each bottom cookie with a top donut cookie and press down gently to create a cookie sandwich.
HOW TO STORE GRINCH LINZERS
Since these cookies will soften with time, I like to store mine in an airtight container but with juuuuuust a touch of air exposed for at least a day so the cookies don’t get too soft too fast. Personally, I think these cookies get better as time goes on, but I don’t like to rush the softening process.
If you want to stack the cookies, you should not have a problem, but if your cookies are particularly gooey or oozy, you might want to keep them from touching. If you want to separate the cookies that have powdered sugar on them, use parchment or wax paper between the stacks.
CAN I MAKE LINZER COOKIES AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes! Since these cookies need time to chill, they make a great make-ahead option! You can keep the chilled cookie dough in the fridge for up to 3 days, or you can bake the cookies a few days ahead of time and assemble them when you are ready.
Grinch Linzer Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
LINZER COOKIES
- 2 and ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- ½ cup + 3 and ½ Tablespoons (80g) almond flour1 a scant ¾ cup
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅔ cup (137g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- green food coloring2
- powdered sugar as needed and if desired
- ⅓ cup (21g) strawberry spread3
Instructions
LINZER COOKIES
- Whisk the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium size bowl. Set aside.2 and ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup + 3 and ½ Tablespoons (80g) almond flour1, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Be sure it is very smooth and creamy.1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, ⅔ cup (137g) granulated sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on high speed until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until it starts to come together, then add your food coloring. Continue mixing until the dough comes together and the color is evenly spread. Dough may be crumbly. This is ok. Keep mixing until it comes together or use a spatula to bring it all together.green food coloring2
- Divide the dough into two equal portions, gently flatten each portion into a disc, then wrap each disc individually in plastic wrap. Chill the discs in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. If chilling longer than 2 hours, allow to sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before rolling.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- You will be working with each disc of dough separately to form the bottoms (whole circle cookies) and tops (circles with a heart cut out from the center) of the Linzer cookies. You will either need a 2" round or fluted cookie cutter and a 1" heart cookie cutter for the heart holes or a set of cookie cutters made specifically for Linzer cookies. This is the exact Linzer cookie cutter set I have and used for these cookies.
- Dust your work surface with flour, then remove one disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Place one disc on the floured surface, flour a rolling pin, then roll out to ¼" thick. The dough may become sticky and/or crack as you work. This is ok. Use flour and your hands to keep the dough soft and intact as you work with it.
- Using a 2" round or fluted cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Re-roll the remaining dough until you use all of it. You should get about 24 whole circles.
- Arrange 8 whole circle cookies 1" apart on one of the prepared baking sheets and bake for 11-12 minutes or until the surface is matte and the edges are just starting to slightly brown around the edges where they touch the baking sheet. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- While the whole circle cookies bake, remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator and repeat the process using the heart shaped cookie cutter from your Linzer cookie cutter kit OR the same 2" cutter from the whole circle cookies + a 1" heart cookie cutter for the top circle cookies. We will call these "donut" cookies for differentiating in the recipe.
- Arrange 8 donut cookies 1" apart on one of the prepared baking sheets and bake for 10-11 minutes or until the surface is matte and the edges are just starting to slightly brown around the edges where they touch the baking sheet. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
ASSEMBLE COOKIES
- Before assembling the cookies, dust the donut cookies (the tops of the cookie sandwiches) with powdered sugar, if desired. This is an optional but traditional step.powdered sugar
- Arrange the whole circle cookies (the bottoms of the cookie sandwiches) on a surface, then spread a scant ½ teaspoon of strawberry spread on each cookie. Carefully top each bottom cookie with a top donut cookie and press down gently to create a cookie sandwich. Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. If you want to freeze these cookies, I highly recommend freezing them just as cookies and assemble them when ready to serve. Unbaked cookie dough freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.⅓ cup (21g) strawberry spread3
Notes
- Almond flour: I test and bake all of my recipes by weight, and 80g on the dot is the perfect amount for this Linzer cookie dough. I strongly encourage you to measure out 80g of almond flour with a kitchen scale rather than using measuring cups.
- Green food coloring: I used a mix of leaf green, forest green, and electric green gel colors from AmeriColor (my favorite brand).
- Strawberry spread: you can use pre-made strawberry jam, preserves, or jelly for these Linzer cookies. If you want to make the jam more red than it is, consider tinting it a bit with some red food coloring.
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.