Linzer cookies are such a fun tradition.The powdered sugar always reminds me of lace while the jam in the middle promises a treat for your tastebuds. It’s that perfect combination of fancy and fun that got me thinking about Easter. So I busted out the bunny ear cookie cutters and tossed together these adorable Easter Bunny Linzer Cookies.

 

To make sure you get that delicious almond flavor, toast your almonds on a baking sheet for about 8-10 minutes. You will start to smell that sweet almond scent – that’s when they’re ready.

While they cool, prep your flower mixture in a separate bowl. Then pulse the almonds in your food processor with the sugar.

Bunny Linzer Cookies
In your electric mixer, start with the butter, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks, then add in your flour mix and your processed almonds.

Bunny Linzer Cookies

Divide your dough into two parts, wrap in plastic, and chill.

Bunny Linzer Cookies

This can be a good time for you to chill too if you make the dough ahead of time. It will keep for up to two days, but at the very least it will need half an hour in the fridge before you roll it out.

Bunny Linzer Cookies

This part is easy.

Bunny Linzer Cookies

I chose to make the hole in the middle with a simple, smooth circle, because to me it looks like a little bunny tail, but I’m always the first to encourage creativity in baking. Feel free to get funky.  (And share your photos with us on Instagram @thesweetnerd. We would love to see!)
Bunny Linzer Cookies

Pro tip: if your dough starts to get warm as you work with it, stick your baking sheet in the fridge for a bit before you put it in the oven. The colder the dough, the more the cookies will keep their shape, which will make them stack up so super nice when the time comes. Bunny Linzer Cookies

After the cookies cool, drop a dollop of jam onto the ones that don’t have holes.

Dust the cut-out cookies with powdered sugar, then, being careful to hold them by the edges so they stay pretty, drop them over the jam. Ta-da! Easter Bunny Linzer Cookies.

Bunny Linzer Cookies

Bunny Linzer Cookies

Photos by: Maria Hedrick Photography

Easter Bunny Linzer Cookies

By TheSweetNerd  

April 3, 2019

Ingredients

Cookie

1 cup whole almonds (blanched or natural)

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Zest of one small lemon

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup granulated white sugar, divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks

Topping

1/2 cup confectioners' (Icing or Powdered) Sugar

1/2 cup Raspberry or Black Currant Jam (can use other flavored jams), well stirred

Directions

Cookie

1Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the oven rack in the center of the oven. Place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake about 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven and once the nuts have cooled, place in a food processor, along with 1/4 cup white sugar, and process until finely ground.

2In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together the flour, cinnamon, salt, and lemon zest.

3In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract and egg yolks. Finally, beat in the ground almonds and then the flour mixture. Divide the dough in half, cover each half with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm (30-60 minutes, or up to two days).

4Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

5Remove one ball of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter (round, square, heart, etc.) cut out the cookies. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. Reroll any scraps and cut out the remaining cookies. Repeat with the second ball of dough. (Note: If you find the cookies are soft, place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to chill the dough. This will prevent the cookies from spreading and losing their shape when baked.) Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

Assembly

1Remove one ball of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter (round, square, heart, etc.) cut out the cookies. Place the cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the centers of half of the cookies on the baking sheet. Reroll any scraps and cut out the remaining cookies. Repeat with the second ball of dough. (Note: If you find the cookies are soft, place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to chill the dough. This will prevent the cookies from spreading and losing their shape when baked.) Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

2The filled cookies will soften when stored. If you want the cookies to stay crisp, assemble the day of serving. The assembled cookies can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for several days.

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12 Comments

  • 8 years ago

    Looks delicious and easy to make!

    • Cindy "TheSweetNerd" Rodriguez
      8 years ago

      So fun. I love these cookies! Thanks Lorna.

  • Kendall
    8 years ago

    I LOVE almonds.. These linzer cookies are so darn adorable! Maybe the almonds could let me lie to myself to say they’re kind of healthy. Thanks Cindy!

    • Cindy "TheSweetNerd" Rodriguez
      8 years ago

      Me too, almonds are so rich and delicious. And yes, they are healthy. I’m standing with you on that one.

  • Oh my gosh! These are the cutest Easter cookie! I love linzer cookies, too, so win win 🙂

    • Cindy "TheSweetNerd" Rodriguez
      8 years ago

      Thanks Jennifer. From the moment you roast the almonds, these cookies are tempting! Once you bake, them watch out. Add in some powdered sugar with jam, winner-winner is right.

  • These are the cutest cookies! They make me want to get in the kitchen and play with my cutters! And I love the almond flavour! I bet your kitchen smells sooooo good as they bake 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!!

    • Cindy "TheSweetNerd" Rodriguez
      8 years ago

      It does smell amazing! I go nuts for jam and cookies. YUM!

  • 8 years ago

    How cute! These are the best cookies for Easter!

    • Cindy "TheSweetNerd" Rodriguez
      8 years ago

      Shucks, thanks Hadia. I love how these little bunnies taste.

  • 8 years ago

    Yes!!! Linzer cookies are my favourite but I only ever make them around Christmas – now I have an excuse to gorge myself on them at Easter too. I am loving all your Easter posts they are so fab!!

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