Chocolate Linzer Cookies made with a 4-ingredient shortbread sandwiched with a creamy fudge. These cookies are melt-in-your-mouth, free of refined sugar and oil, and higher in protein.
My linzer cookies are a buttery shortbread made with only 4 ingredients. The cookies are filled with melted chocolate, but unlike the commercial variety, mine have no sugar or oil. Plus they are high in protein and fiber! How many times can you say that about a cookie!
Why You'll Love These Cookies
Easy one-bowl recipe: Just throw the four ingredients in a bowl, chill, roll and cut. Cookies on the table in under 30 minutes.
Higher nutrition: It's a cookie, so I wouldn't suggest eating 10, but one has 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein. Pretty good for a cookie.
Two protein-rich ingredients: Almond flour is especially high in protein and full of healthy fats [source]. And instead of oil or butter, I used nut butter which means even more protein.
Ingredients
almond flour - use finely ground, not almond meal
nut butter - I used cashew butter, but almond butter or sunflower seed butter is fine too.
maple syrup - has magical minerals that cane sugar does not.
vanilla - give the shortbread that buttery flavor
chocolate chips - use at least 70% to offset the sweet cookie flavor
Before we dive further into the recipe, I'd like to invite you to sign up for my free chocolate course. Five lessons hit your inbox with detail on how to create your own simple healthy chocolate desserts.
Okay, so back to this recipe...
Steps to Make
Here is a brief rundown of the steps, but be sure to drop down to the recipe card to see the full recipe spelled out step by step!
1. Mix up the flour, nut butter, maple syrup, vanilla and salt in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until you have a dough. Set it covered in the refrigerator for 10-30 minutes until it reaches a rollable texture.
2. Roll the dough out about ¼ inch thick between the two sheets of parchment paper.
3. Using linzer cookie cutters - one round and one with a center hole cut out - to cut 18 cookies. This will make 9 sandwich cookies.
4. Bake the cookies. Sprinkle the cookies with holes with sugar.
5. Once cookies are cooled - about 30 minutes - prepare the filling.
6. Microwave the chocolate and stir until all chips or chunks are melted.
7. Add the chocolate to a piping bag and add about 1 tablespoon to the solid cookie. Top with the sugared cookies with holes.
Recipe Tips
1.Use a natural nut butter or seed butter to ensure nutrition.
2.The dough should look like my images so feel free to add more flour or more liquid to get it to that state.
3. If necessary, chill the dough for another 20 minutes to achieve rollable texture. Sprinkle almond flour if needed to assist in the rolling.
4. Be sure to sprinkle sugar on the cookies straight out of the oven. The heat will help the sugar stick.
5. The taste: These cookies taste soft, chewy and have a peanut-butter flavor as is with the seed or nut butter added. If you prefer just plain shortbread flavor, feel free to replace the seed or nut butter with coconut oil.
6. These cookies are refined-sugar-free, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free.
FAQS
What is a Linzer cookie made of?
Linzer cookies are buttery, jam-filled sandwich cookies based on the classic Viennese Linzer torte, a nutty jam-filled pastry with a lattice design on top. The cookies have a shortbread-like texture and nutty flavor that comes from finely ground almonds and almond extract in the dough.
What nationality are Linzer cookies?
Austria. These cookies are also a year-round staple at some of Philly's most enduring German bakeries, but they actually originated in Austria and have been adapted for American tastes.
Why are they called Linzer cookies?
The Linzer torte is a traditional Austrian pastry, a form of shortbread topped with fruit preserves and sliced nuts with a lattice design on top. It is named after the city of Linz, Austria.
How long do Linzer cookies stay fresh?
These Linzer Cookies are best eaten right away, but can also be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for a week. Buttery, tender and melt-in-your-mouth, these are some of my favorite cookies to make for the holidays.
How to Store
The cookies will soften over time, but they keep in a sealed container for about 4 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a week.
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📖 Recipe
Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cups almond flour
- 2 tablespoon nut butter
- 3 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
chocolate filling
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
Prep
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and have another sheet standing by so you can roll out your dough between two sheets.
- Preheat oven 350 F.
Make Cookies
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until you have a dough. Pro tip: You want a putty like texture, so if it's still crumbly, add a few tsps of milk until you have a batter that leaves an imprint when you press a finger.¾ cups almond flour, 2 tablespoon nut butter, 3 tablespoon maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon vanilla, pinch of salt
- Chill the dough 10-30 minutes if needed to roll it out.
- Roll the dough out about ¼ inch thick between the two sheets of parchment paper. Sprinkle almond flour if needed to assist in the rolling.
- Using linzer cookie cutters - one round and one with a center hole cut out - to cut 18 cookies. This will make 9 sandwich cookies.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until edges begin to turn toasty. Sprinkle the cookies with holes with cane sugar.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Once cookies are cooled - about 30 minutes - prepare the filling.
- Microwave the chocolate for 60 seconds, and stir until all chips or chunks are melted.1 cup chocolate chips, 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- Add the chocolate to a piping bag and add about 1 tablespoon to the solid cookie.
- Top with the sugared cookies with holes.
Store
- The cookies will soften over time, but they keep in a sealed container for about 4 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator for a week.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This post is sponsored by Sunbutter. My opinions are my own.
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