Paleo Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Often making an appearance on holiday dessert line-ups, linzer cookies are a beloved treat with centuries of fans. There is a lot to love about a linzer cookie with its perfect balance of sweet yet tart raspberry jam between two rich and buttery cookies. Visually, it’s a very pretty sandwich cookie, but don’t worry … It’s not just for show — the linzer cookie tastes as good or better than it looks!

Normally, linzer cookies don’t offer much more than sugar and carbs, but you’ll see that just one cookie from this Paleo linzer cookies recipe provides significant amounts of protein as well as iron, vitamin C, B vitamins and more!

What Are Linzer Cookies?

Linzer cookies (often called linzer tarts or linzer tart cookies) are based on the traditional Austrian linzer torte. Linzer tortes may actually be the oldest known cake in the entire world! (1) A linzer torte is a jam-filled cake that has a crumbly base typically made from flour, butter, eggs, lemon juice, cinnamon and ground nuts.

On top of the cake are dough strips arranged in a lattice, or criss-cross, design. Linzer tortes often feature raspberry jam but can also contain other fruit preserves such as apricot. The name “linzer” comes from the city of Linz, Austria, which is where linzer tortes were said to be first created in the 1600s.

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Raspberry linzer cookies - Dr. Axe

It was a couple of decades before linzer cookies came on the scene in the 1800s. Linzer cookies are pretty much a smaller, hand-held version of the much larger linzer torte. Linzer cookies can be filled with a variety of jams or jellies, too, but no matter what goes in the middle, the cookies always have a “linzer eye,” where you see that fruity goodness peeping out of a cutout hole in the center.

Key Ingredients

Raspberry linzer cookies ingredients - Dr. Axe

Some of the healthy ingredients making these linzer cookies a lot more nutritionally dense than your average version are:

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Chia seeds: These tiny little seeds are impressively high in such a wide array of nutrients, including various B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, zinc and potassium. Chia seeds are also a rich plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and have been called an “anti-inflammatory superfood.”

Raspberries: I love raspberry jam because when it’s made right, it’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet. This raspberry jam is made with real raspberries, maple syrup, chia seeds and lemon juice. Raspberries are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant known for its potential anti-aging and disease-fighting abilities.

Paleo flour: Instead of the usual wheat flour, these gluten-free linzer cookies are made with a Paleo flour blend. I used one that contains almond, coconut and arrowroot flour, which provides these cookies with fiber to boost digestive health as well as iron to improve energy levels.

How to Make Paleo Linzer Cookies

This linzer cookie recipe can be broken down into three parts: (1) making the dough; (2) making the jam and (3) beautifully bringing the two together.

With cookie cutters of your choice on hand, get ready for a recipe that will make you feel like a baker and artist at the same time. You’re sure to impress the crowd with these scrumptious gluten-free linzer cookies.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 1 - Dr. Axe

Put all the cookie ingredients into a medium sized bowl.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 2 - Dr. Axe

Mix all cookie ingredients together.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 3 - Dr. Axe

Kneed the ingredients with your hands into a large ball.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 4 - Dr. Axe

Cut the cookie dough ball in half.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 5 - Dr. Axe

Form the halves into two separate balls and flatten into disks about the size of a CD.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 6 - Dr. Axe

Wrap the discs in separate pieces of parchment paper and let them sit in the fridge for one to two hours.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 7 - Dr. Axe

In a saucepan on medium low, combine raspberry jam ingredients. Let simmer and reduce for about 10 to 15 minutes. The consistency should become thick like a jam. Let it cool.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 8 - Dr. Axe

While the jam is cooling, roll out one cookie dough disk between two sheets of parchment paper until it’s about one centimeter thick.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 9 - Dr. Axe

Using a cookie cutter, cut 12 cookies of the same size. You can use any shape cookie cutter. These will be your cookie bottoms.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 10 - Dr. Axe

Repeat with the second cookie dough disk, creating cookies the same exact size as the previous cookies. You’ll also need to cut out a slightly smaller cookie within the larger cookie to create a hole. These will be your cookie tops.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 11 - Dr. Axe

Place all the cookies on a lined baking sheet and bake for eight to 10 minutes. Once they’ve cooled down, lightly dust the cookie tops with the powdered sugar substitute.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 12 - Dr. Axe

Spoon raspberry jam (about one tablespoon each) onto the cookie bottoms.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 13 - Dr. Axe

Continue to put jam into the center of all the cookie bottoms.

Raspberry linzer cookies step 14 - Dr. Axe

Place cookie top to sandwich the jam with each cookie bottom.

Raspberry linzer cookies - Dr. Axe

Serve your beautiful gluten-free linzer cookies and enjoy.

Raspberry linzer cookies - Dr. Axe

Print

Linzer cookies recipe - Dr. Axe

Raspberry Linzer Cookies



  • Author:
    Dr. Josh Axe

  • Prep Time:
    2 hours

  • Cook Time:
    10 min

  • Total Time:
    2 hours 10 minutes

  • Yield:
    12 cookies

  • Diet:
    Gluten Free


Pin Recipe

Description

There is a lot to love about a linzer cookie with its perfect balance of sweet yet tart raspberry jam between two rich and buttery cookies. Visually, it’s a very pretty sandwich cookie, but it’s also delicious.


Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

  • 2 cups Paleo flour
  • 6 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • equal parts arrowroot starch and coconut sugar, for powdered sugar substitute topping

Raspberry Jam

  • One 12-ounce bag frozen raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Instructions

  1. In a medium sized bowl, mix all cookie ingredients.
  2. Kneed with hands into a large ball and then cut in half.
  3. Form the halves into separate balls and flatten into disks about the size of a CD.
  4. Wrap and let sit in fridge for 1–2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  6. In a saucepan on medium low, combine raspberry jam ingredients. Let simmer and reduce for about 10–15 minutes. Consistency should become thick like a jam. Let cool.
  7. Roll out cookie dough disk between two sheets of parchment paper until about 1 centimeter in thickness.
  8. Using a cookie cutter, cut 12 cookies of the same size. You can use any shape. These will be your cookie bottoms.
  9. Repeat with the second cookie dough disk, creating cookies the same size as the prior cookies.
  10. Cut out a slightly smaller cookie within the larger cookie to create a hole. These will be your cookie tops.
  11. Place all the cookies on a lined baking sheet and bake for 8–10 minutes. Let cool on a cooling rack.
  12. Lightly dust cookie tops with the powdered sugar substitute.
  13. Spoon raspberry jam onto the cookie bottoms. About a tablespoon each.
  14. Place cookie top to sandwich the jam and serve.

Notes

Instead of the usual wheat flour, these gluten-free linzer cookies are made with a Paleo flour blend. I used one that contains almond, coconut and arrowroot flour.

  • Category: Desserts, Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Austrian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 141
  • Sugar: 10.7g
  • Sodium: 38mg
  • Fat: 5.3g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.5g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 16.9g
  • Fiber: 4.3g
  • Protein: 7.6g
  • Cholesterol: 103mg