I’ve always loved Linzer cookies. I believe the classic version was actually a torte and originated in Austria but you’d often find them in bakeries in sandwich cookie form dusted with confectioners sugar with a heart cutout on top. Those can be intimidating to make as you have to roll the dough, cut them out then sandwich them together with the jam. A lot of fuss, so I decided to make mine into a much easier version as a thumbprint cookie filled with raspberry jam then drizzled with an almond glaze. It has all of the flavor without all the work!
My mom had a set of cookbooks that were probably mailed to you, but I remember us making these Linzer cookies as bars from a book of cookie recipes in this series and they were always my favorite. On a trip home recently I went looking for the book as it always sat in a row of books on a shelf in the kitchen only to find it was no longer there. When I asked her where they went, she told me she gave them away. My heart sank. “Why?!”, I asked her! She said she never used them anymore and they were in her way. Fair enough, but I wish I could have taken them. So, the search began both in my memories and online to find a recipe similar to the one I remembered.
I recalled certain elements of the original. Cinnamon for sure, a bit of cloves and definitely lemon zest. I knew it had one egg, but instead, I’m using my favorite aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas) as the replacement. I also remembered it had no other leavening so it was more of a shortbread type cookie.
After sifting through a ton of recipes, I cobbled together my own version and it’s everything that I remembered. Tender, chewy, and a hint of spice with a nice balance of flavor from the tart raspberry jam. If raspberry isn’t your jam, feel free to use another flavor, but raspberry is the classic option. It’s a winner in every way and it’s totally vegan!
It’s a pretty easy process. Make the dough and chill it for at least and hour. Then using a small scoop, you roll the balls in chopped almonds then make a thumbprint and fill with jam and bake. Once cooled, you then drizzle with a simple almond glaze. This cookie embodies Christmas to me. Santa would probably love them, but he’s not getting any because they’re all mine!
Vegan Linzer Thumbprint Cookies
24
Cookies12
minutesAn amazing and simple recipe for vegan Linzer thumbprint cookies!
Ingredients
2/3 cup vegan butter
2/3 cup granulated vegan sugar
1/4 cup aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup almond flour (or finely ground almonds)
1 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
- Almond Glaze
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon vegan milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Directions
- Beat the vegan butter in a medium mixing bowl with an electric stand or hand mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the aquafaba, granulated sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon, and cloves; beat until combined. Add the 1 1/2 cups flour and almond flour and mix until combined well. Form dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and chill for at least one hour.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or tablespoon, make balls of dough by rolling slightly in your hands and then rolling in the chopped almonds. Place on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet and space evenly apart about two inches as they spread somewhat. Using your thumb, make a well in the center of each cookie then using your finger, expand it somewhat into an even circle. Using a small spoon add a dollop of jam to each indentation filling it completely.
- Preheat your oven to 350°. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes until just starting to brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheets for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Mix the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until completely smooth. You want a pourable consistency so if too thick add a bit more milk and if too runny, add a bit more confectioners sugar. Using a pastry bag fitted with a small hole tip or using a small spoon, drizzle the glaze over each cooled cookie. Let glaze dry for at least 15 minutes to harden then they’re ready to eat. Store any leftover cookies in a container and refrigerate if preferred. Cookies can also be frozen to consume later.
Notes
- If you don’t have almond flour chop blanched almonds into a fine consistency using a blender or food processor.
- I used aquafaba as an egg replacer but you can use a flax egg if preferred. I add aquafaba without whisking but some prefer to lighten it up. It’s not necessary for this recipe. I just drain mine straight from a can of chickpeas (preferably without salt) and measure it to add. I then store the rest in the fridge for up to a week. It can go bad quickly so best to give it a whiff if stored for too long.
- Ive not tried using all almond flour to make these gluten free but I suppose it’s possible to do. Almond flour holds moisture so they may not be the same texture if substituted one for one.
- For the almonds to roll the cookies in, I used sliced almonds with their skins and blitzed them quickly in a mini food processor to chop them. You could use blanched or whole almonds as well.
- If you don’t want to glaze these, simply dust with some powdered sugar before serving. Best not to do it in advance as it can melt and look messy.
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