Like lemon thumbprint cookies, Linzer Sugar Cookies with lemon curd are tangy and delicious! Sprinkled with powdered sugar, these easy Christmas cookies are ideal for cookie exchanges, holiday gift-giving, and hostess gifts.
ABOUT LINZER SUGAR COOKIES
This special European Christmas treat has its roots in Linz, Austria. The Linzertorte was introduced to America in the mid-1850s. Later, this pastry inspired recipes for Linzer cookies.
WHAT ARE LINZER COOKIES?
Traditional Linzer cookies are round with a cutout in the center revealing raspberry preserves. Today, these Christmas sugar cookies are made in an assortment of shapes. My Linzer cookies are a double star with lemon curd
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CHRISTMAS COOKIES
Ingredients for Linzer Christmas cookies:
- Butter
- Vegetable shortening
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Sea salt
- Bonne Maman
or HOMEMADE LEMON CURD - Confectioners sugar
HOW TO MAKE LINZER COOKIES
It’s easy to make Linzer cookies from scratch!
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Carefully crack eggs into the bowl.
- Add vanilla and lemon juice.
- Mix until incorporated.
CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIES
How to make Linzer sugar cookies:
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl.
- Mix until just combined.
- Don’t over-beat the dough!
DOUGH FOR LINZER COOKIES
- Divide the cookie dough into two balls.
- Cover the pieces in plastic wrap or put them in a zip-top bag.
- Chill the dough for 30-35 minutes in the freezer. Don’t skip this step!
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Start by working with one piece of dough.
- Roll out dough to an approximate thickness of 1/4 – 1/8 of an inch.
CUT OUT SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
This recipe yields 48 individual stars to make 24 Linzer cookies.
- Cut shapes with a 3-inch star cookie cutter.
- Transfer cutouts to a baking tray lined with a reusable silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Gather dough scraps into a ball. Return to freezer until cold.
- Bake sugar cookies for 8 minutes.
- Don’t allow Linzer cookies to become golden! We want them light.
- Continue rolling, cutting, and baking.
- During this process, briefly store unbaked dough in the freezer.
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lined with a reusable 
COOLING CHRISTMAS COOKIES
- Allow freshly-baked stars to cool on the cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes.
- Gently transfer the Linzer cookies to a cooling rack.
- After sugar cookies have completely cooled, they’re ready to assemble!
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HOW TO ASSEMBLE LINZER COOKIES
Linzer cookies are easy to assemble!
- Place a round dollop of lemon curd in the center of 24 sugar cookies.
- Create a stacked cookie by placing a second star on top.
- Gently twist the top star so its points are off-set from the bottom star.
- Sift powdered sugar over the top of the Christmas cookies!
BAKING TIPS FOR PERFECT SUGAR COOKIES
These baking tips will help you create gorgeous Christmas cookies that rival those from a bakery.
- The chilled cookie dough should be easy to work with (not overly stiff).
- Between batches, continuously return dough to the freezer.
- If cutout shapes cannot be lifted from your cutting board without bending, the dough is not cold enough!
- Don’t leave uncooked sugar cookies sitting out on a tray for more than 10-12 minutes waiting to be placed in the oven.
- If needed, briefly place the cookie sheet with unbaked cookies into the freezer to keep the dough chilled.
- Very cold dough is the secret to perfect sugar cookies that keep their shape!
without bending, the dough is not cold enough!
Linzer Sugar Cookies with Lemon Curd
- Total Time: 58 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
These beautiful double-star sugar cookies are a unique spin on the traditional Linzer cookies. Filled with lemon curd and sprinkled with powdered sugar, these Christmas cookies are the perfect dessert for gift-giving and holidays parties.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/2 vegetable shortening (like Crisco), chilled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup lemon curd
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, shortening and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Mix until well blended. Add flour, salt and baking powder to the bowl. Mix until ingredients are incorporated. Do not over-mix the dough.
- With clean hands, gather the dough into a ball. Divide it half. Place both pieces in a large zip-top bag. Chill the dough in the freezer for 30-35 minutes. Remove one piece of dough from the freezer. Place it on a board. The cold dough should be a little stiff but still pliable enough to be worked with.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a thickness between 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch. Cut out sugar cookies with a 3-inch star-shaped cookie cutter. Gather together the scraps of dough and briefly return them to the freezer. Transfer cut-out stars to an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Do not over-bake. Linzer sugar cookies should be light in color, not golden brown.
- Allow the stars to cool on the baking tray for 8-10 minutes. Gently transfer the Christmas cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat the process of rolling, cutting, and baking with remaining dough.
- Assemble the Linzer cookies: Place 12 sugar cookies flat side up. Add a dollop of lemon curd to the center of each star. Create a sandwich cookie by placing a second star on top. Gently twist the top star so its points alternate with the bottom cookie. Sprinkle sifted powdered sugar on top.
Notes
This sugar cookie recipe yields 48 stars, enough to make 24 Linzer cookies.
BAKING TIPS FOR PERFECT CHRISTMAS COOKIES: Very cold dough is the secret to perfect sugar cookies that keep their shape!
- Chilled dough should be easy to work with, not too stiff.
- Between batches, chill dough in the freezer.
- If dough is the right temperature, cutouts should easily lift without bending.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: European
Keywords: Linzer Cookies, Sugar Cookies, Christmas Cookies, Cutout Cookies
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CHRISTMAS COOKIES > JOIN THE CONVERSATION
What do you think about these sugar cookies? Have you enjoyed Linzer cookies before? Join the conversation in the comments below!
These Christmas cookies look delicious and something I want to add on my To-Try list for baking. Seems like a perfect recipe for this season.
these Linzer cookies look so amazing, and I am a huge fan of lemon curd. Cant believe I have never heard of them before! They’ve now made their way onto my Christmas cookies baking list.
These looks so festive and delicious! I love lemon flavored anything. I can’t wait to try these!
These sugar cookies made my mouth water! They look and sound amazing! My husband LOVES lemon curd so these would be a perfect treat for him.
Love that you have a recipe card and all the nutritional info as well, that’s a really nice touch!
Laura ☆
They are beautiful and look delicious! I love sugar cookies so much. I bet these would be a hit at home if I used some dulce de leche in some and lemon curd in others. Thanks for the recipe!
I am hosting a cookie exchange tomorrow night and now I wish someone would bring these. THey look amazing!
YUMMY Linzer cookies! perfect for Christmas. These look so YUMMY and sweet I really love cookies <3
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I am always down to make a good cookie and these look to be perfect for the holiday season
These sugar cookies are perfect. I will be making these for my holiday party for sure.
My girls and I start baking cookies on the second weekend of December. I am adding yours in our list to make. They look super delicious.
Ok Linzer cookies and lemon curd for the win! These could be my all time favorite cookies and there is nothing like a good lemon curd! Yum
The cookies look so pretty! I’ve never tried making them before, but they don’t look too hard. I should make some for my mother-in-law, she loves everything lemon.
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These Linzer cookies look so pretty and delicious! I will have to try to make these sugar cookies with the kiddos this holiday season.
What I love about these sugar cookies is that they are both delicious and stylish. Sometimes PPS sacrifice one over another but this is not the case – looks awesome and I bet tastes delicious!
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You’re so right! Quality ingredients do make the cookies! These are gorgeous and they’ll be the “stars” of the holiday cookie platter!
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I had no idea these cookies originally came from Austria! That is fascinating! I love these cookies but have never made them myself. Love the recipe!
These cookies look so delicious and festive. Must try them!!!!
These Linzer cookies look so delicate and festive. I need to put on the Christmas baking menu! Yummy!
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Lemon curd is one of my favorite additions to baked good. So sweet, but tangy and perfect with a buttery cookie!
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FIrst, these Linzer cookies look so good! Second, I just figured out what I will be making for my holiday party! These will be a hit!
I remember having a linzer cookie when I was a kid and really loving it. I had no idea that’s what these sugar cookies were called until now! And just last night I was thinking about how I’d like to do some Christmas baking this year (a first for me!), PLUS I have a jar of lemon curd in my cupboard. Fate sent me to your post!
These look phenomenal!
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Mmm this looks so yummy ! I definitely need to try out this recipe.
Kasey Ma
thestylewright.com
These Linzer cookies are so cute… and they look delicious too! Just perfect for leaving out for Santa on Christmas Eve!
These look so delicious, and so pretty too! I’ll have to try this recipe!
I have never made Linzer sugar cookies. My grandmother made the best sugar cookies every year and I have always wanted to make those as well. I just can’t seem to master keeping the dough the right temperature. I love the lemon curd addition. This will be my next project.
WHat a clever idea, to make them star-shaped instead and fill them with lemon curd! I bet they’re delish!
Wow those linzer sugar cookies look so pretty! And that lemon curd looks absolutely delicious. They are perfect for Christmas festivities. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
these are so festive and pretty they just shout Christmas I love how you have sprinkles the sugar like snow on them too
Those cookies are absolutely gorgeous. Using lemon curd to make linzer cookies is a great idea. Your photos are fantastic.
Lemon is by far my favorite flavor for a delicious treat. These look incredibly delicious, can’t wait to try.
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I love linzer cookies! I just made a batch of these a while ago, but my recipe is slightly different. I love the lemon curd idea. I may just have to make another batch and use lemon curd instead of jam and marmalade.
WOW these look incredible!! I love how you decorate them; that lemon curd paired with the sugar cookies sounds divine!
-Madi
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You have my undivided attention! I adore citrus sweets! I have never made a mixed lemon curd, a most fabulous idea. And it peaking out from the Linzer cookies is sublime!
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We are gluten free so the cookies won’t work- but I definitely want to try this lemon curd on our gluten free sugar cookies!
Hello Elizabeth. Lemon curd makes everything more festive! It’ll taste wonderful on your own special recipe for sugar cookies! :-)
I have to print this out, Denay. I’m giving this recipe to someone who loves baking cookies for her kids! :) I’m making this too for my boys :)
Thank you for sharing.
Cheers,
Jessica
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Hi Jessica. Your sweet comment on these Linzer cookies just made my day! Many fun wishes to you and your family for a fabulous holiday season!
Wow! These look so cute & delicious, love the idea of sandwiching lemon curd between 2 stars!
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Good morning Megala! It makes me smile to know that you love these little Linzer cookies. I hope you’ll bake up a batch this holiday season. Thanks so much for leaving a comment and rating this special recipe for Christmas cookies!