Description
'Tis the season to make a batch of the most beautiful Christmas treats: Linzer Cookies! These beauties have a delicious, tender hazelnut base, a tangy raspberry filling, and they're gluten free and vegan.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup+ 2 tbsp vegan butter, softened at room temp
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 cup finely ground hazelnuts (remove skins)*
- 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum*
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 16 oz jar of raspberry jam (we used seedless)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a large stand mixer (or regular mixing bowl with electric hand mixer), cream butter, sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.
- Grind hazelnuts in a spice grinder or with a food processor until they form a crumb-like texture. We used hazelnuts without skin.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients, including ground hazelnuts. Slowly incorporate dry mixture into wet mixture, mixing until the dough starts to come together.
- Roll out the dough to about 1/8" thick. Use circular cookie cutters to cut cookies. Reserve half of the cookies, and cut an extra shape in the center. You can use another circle, a star, heart, Christmas tree - anything you have on hand. These will be the top part of the sandwich.
- Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes, until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- When cooled, take one whole cookie, spread with jam, leaving some room around the edge of the cookie, and place a cut-out cookie on top. Optional: sprinkle the top cookie with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
*Almonds also work well
*Xanthan gum is a common additive that helps thicken and stabilize gluten free baked goods. It's not completely necessary, but really helps with the texture. You can find it at most speciality grocery stores or online.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Austrian
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 126
- Sugar: 13.2 g
- Sodium: 4114.1 mg
- Fat: 3.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 0.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
