These gluten-free linzer cookies are one of our family’s favorite cookies. Linzer cookies are popular Austrian holiday cookies that I know you will love, too! These cookies are easy to make, and you can fill them with jam, Nutella, frosting, or anything you like!
Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year…and not just because I get to make and eat a lot of cookies! 🙂 This cookie idea is also perfect as a Christmas cookie exchange recipe.
Linzer cookies are also perfect to use as a Christmas cookie exchange recipe. Your friends will love how pretty these cookies are! It is my favorite time of year, and today we celebrate with linzer tart cookies. If you are a cookie fanatic like me, you will want to check out all of my gluten-free cookie recipes.
Allergen Information:
This linzer cookie recipe is gluten-free and soy-free. You can use plant-based, dairy-free butter to make this recipe dairy-free. To make this recipe gum-free, use my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. It uses psyllium husk powder as a binder instead of xanthan or guar gum.
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend—I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I have not tested other flours.
- Almond Flour – Use almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your cookies grainy.
- Sugar – Use cane sugar.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, you must add Âľ a teaspoon.
- Almond Flour – I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your donuts grainy.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Nutella – Read to ensure your Nutella or chocolate hazelnut spread is gluten free.
Linzer Cookie Baking Tips:
- For best results in making these gluten-free linzer cookies, take special care to measure your flour and dry ingredients correctly. If you add too much gluten-free flour or other ingredients, it can mess with the cookies as they bake. If your cookies don’t have the right ratios of ingredients, you may end up with a baking disaster.
- Chill the cookie dough when possible. I know you are probably ready to eat your cookies, but taking a few minutes to chill the batter makes them less likely to spread.
- Use a cooled
cookie sheet when baking. Don’t take a hotcookie sheet and put the batter on it, or I promise the cookies won’t turn out. They start baking immediately, and it messes with their shape of them. Use a couple of sheets and rotate them out when making large batches of cookies. - Don’t let the cookies sit on the pan too long. After they have baked, only let them sit for up to 5 minutes on the baking sheet. The pan will still be hot and continue baking them otherwise.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk.
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and whisk to blend.
To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale. Every gluten-free flour blend has a different weight, making a scale even trickier. Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour. You can also use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. This linzer cookie dough mixes up quickly. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate the cookie dough for an hour.
Step 4: Place the dough on a piece of wax paper and cover it with another. Roll the dough to ÂĽ-inch thickness between two pieces of wax paper.
Step 5: Use linzer cookie cutters to get the tops and bottoms. You can find linzer cookie cutters online via Amazon and at local stores like Sur La Table.
Ensure the cookie cutters you use make it easy to get the middle shape out. I had a set where the shape was difficult to push the dough out of, which caused a lot of tears in the cookie dough.
Step 6: Place the cut-out cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 350Âş F for about 7-8 minutes.
Step 7: When the cookies are cool, frost the bottoms with Nutella, jam, or any filling you like! Optional: sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Put the tops on, then dust with powdered sugar. (Dusting with powdered sugar is optional.) Enjoy these gluten free linzer cookies with a glass of milk! These cookies are perfect for holiday cookie exchange parties! Here are more of my favorite Gluten Free Cookies for a Cookie Exchange Party!*
More delicious filling ideas:
- Fruit jams and preserves.
- Frostings.
- Peanut butter
- This one may seem odd, but chocolate mousse is also delicious in this linzer cookie.
Frequently Asked Questions:
These linzer cookies are thin and will not need much time to bake. Bake for 8 minutes and check the cookies. If they are looking slightly golden, they are finished baking. They should take no longer than 10 minutes.
These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container. I highly recommend not using Nutella or any filling until you are ready to eat the cookies. Sitting for a few days with Nutella or jam will make the cookies soggy.
These cookies freeze well. Add to a freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze. They will keep up to 4 months in the freezer.
Reader Review:
I struggled a bit with the dough being sticky but worth the effort they are delicious!”
Denise, Pinterest User
I have a great Gluten Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guide to help you bake perfect cookies every time!
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes:
- Gluten Free Strawberry Linzer Cookies – The same fun cookies in a new flavor!
- Gluten Free Gingerbread Magic Bars – This has a fun flavor twist on magic bars.
- Gluten Free Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies – These are popular on the blog year-round.
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies – This is an awesome classic cookie recipe.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Nutella Linzer Tart Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup almond flour * see note
- ½ cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- Âľ cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg
Dusting:
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Filling:
- â…“ cup Nutella
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients.
- Whisk to blend.
- In a small bowl, add butter, sugar, and egg.
- Mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
- Mix and put dough onto plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350Âş F.
- Remove dough and place on wax paper.
- Put another sheet of wax paper onto the top and roll to ½ inch thick.
- Use a linzer cutter to cut the shapes.
- Bake 8 minutes, remove to cooling rack.
- When cool, top the bottom with Nutella and add the top.
- Dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is more coarse and will make your donuts grainy.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
can I use oat flour-cornstarch-rice flour blend for gf all purpose flour?or sth else?also use more honey for sugar?
Hi Demi, I have not tried your suggested blend so I don’t know how this would turn out. Oat flour needs more liquid than rice flour so you will probably need to do a lot of experimentation to get it right. Let us know how it turns out.
My Christmas list doesn’t seem to be getting shorter especially when I see a recipe that is definitely worth trying. Wondering if these could be made ahead and froze for a couple of weeks?
Hi Laurel, I have not tried to freeze these cooked. The dough will definitely freeze well. Thank you so much for stopping by 🙂
These look beautiful! I am wondering if either this recipe or your grain free linzer cookie recipe can be made with shortening or coconut oil instead of butter. We aren’t able to do dairy.
Hi Amy, good morning :-). I would say you can use either, but with the coconut oil, they may spread a bit so try to bake a couple first before baking the whole batch to test it. Take care and thank you for your note. Sandi
It looks perfect.you are inspiring me.Thank you
Can I replace the almond flour with gf flour mix?
Thank you so much for the lovely comment. Here is a recipe for a similar cookie using almond flour: https://www.fearlessdining.com/recipe/grain-free-almond-linzer-cookies/
I mean can I use only the gf flour blend with out the almond flour?
Sorry Wafaa. You can use just the gluten free flour blend. You would want to use 1/4 cup additional to make up for not using the almond flour.
You are an amazing person.Thank you
These cookies have my name written all over them!
I hope you enjoy them 🙂
I just love that you used Nutella for the filing of your stunning cookies. These could be put behind a bakery window!
Thank you so much Lauren 🙂
Dear Sandi, These linzer cookies look soft and delicious. I love the nutella center especially! xo, Catherine
Thank you so much Catherine 🙂
What absolutely adorable little cookies! Bet they taste amazing with that Nutella filling. 🙂
Thank you Elizabeth 🙂
I would love a couple of these with a nice cup of coffee.
Nutella takes these cookies over the top. They would make perfect holiday gifts. Nice photo, too! 🙂
We should start a Nutella lovers club 🙂
I adore Linzer cookies…how fun to make them with Nutella! Lovely treats 🙂
Thank you Justine 🙂
Hmm….you had me at Nutella… These sound fabulous.
I agree about the Nutella 🙂
A classic cookie made beautifully! These look amazing!
Thank you Nicole 🙂
Hi,
I must be missing something because I can’t seem to find the actual recipe for these cookies anywhere. Do I have to sign up to be able to see the ingredients and how-to? Please let me know,
Thanks
Marisa
Hi Marisa, That was happening for me as well. I refreshed the page cache and I think it should be showing up now. Sorry about that. I appreciate your letting me know.
Thanks so much! I see the recipe now–can’t wait to try them!
You are so welcome Marisa 🙂
These could easily trump the jam version! Such gorgeous, tempting cookies!!
Thank you Liz 🙂
I love making Linzer cookies! Yours look just perfect!!
Thank you Sara 🙂