The best gluten-free Linzer cookies

Linzer cookies are traditional cookies to make during Christmas. Yes, you can enjoy them throughout the year, but they are a must-bake at the end of the year. These gluten-free Linzer cookies are simple vanilla butter cookies filled with strawberry jam. This combination is so comforting and very delicious.

I experimented with the Linzer cookie recipe quite a lot since they are my favorite Christmas cookies, but this recipe is perfect. It is sweet, buttery, and fruity because of the strawberry jam.

These gluten-free cookies are quite simple and easy to make and the best part is that everyone loves them.

The full recipe is gluten-free, vegan, and sugar-free, but this is a Linzer cookie recipe without almond flour.

Linzer cookie filling ideas

Did you know you can fill these Linzer cookies with anything you like?

In this recipe, I filled mine with strawberry jam, but you can replace them with your favorite filling.

The best Linzer cookie fillings are:

• Strawberry jam
• Raspberry jam
• Apricot jam
• Red currant jam
• Nutella
• Vanilla Curd
• Chocolate

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THESE GLUTEN-FREE LINZER COOKIES

• Vegan – These cookies are perfect for your vegan friends or family members! But this gluten-free Linzer cookie recipe is suitable for everyone, not only for vegans/vegetarians.
• Gluten-free –  These Linzer cookies are naturally gluten-free.
• Dairy-free - This recipe is also dairy-free.
• Easy to make – The full recipe is so easy and simple.
• Vanilla cookies - You can't go wrong with vanilla flavor in these classic Linzer biscuits.
• Strawberry jam - To make these cookies even better fill them with strawberry jam. It is perfect with vanilla butter cookies.

INGREDIENTS

• Melted vegan margarine - If you have vegan butter, feel free to use it, but I prefer it because it works best in cookies.
• Agave - Since this recipe is sugar-free, I used agave as a sweetener, but you can use any liquid sweetener. But keep in mind the color of your sweetener should be light because the color of the cookies might change.
• Lemon juice - To balance out the flavors add a little bit of lemon juice.
• Vanilla - This is a must in these Linzer cookies.
• Rice flour - This flour is perfect for cookies. It has a neutral taste and beautiful white color.
• Gluten-free oat flour - The combination of rice and oat flour is key in this recipe. Oat flour is sweeter and creates such a delicious combination.
• Cornstarch - Baking gluten-free might be a little bit tricky, but by adding cornstarch to the cookies, they will stick together easily. And because of this secret ingredient, these are the best gluten-free Linzer cookies without xanthan gum.
• Baking powder - Add just a little bit of baking powder so the Linzer cookies will rise.
• Salt - A pinch of salt is much needed. It enhances the flavors.
• Strawberry jam - This jam goes so well with vanilla Linzer cookies.

POSSIBLE INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

This recipe is easily customizable. Here are some ideas:

• You can replace agave with maple syrup.
• Vegan margarine can be replaced with vegan butter.
• You can replace the strawberry jam with apricot, raspberry, or red currant jam.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: In a small pot melt the vegan margarine. Pour it into a bowl and add agave, lemon juice, and vanilla, and combine.

Step 2: Then add rice flour, oat flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Create a smooth dough. The dough should be sticky, but that's ok because we are going to leave it in the fridge for about 1 hour.

Step 3: After 1 hour, take the Linzer dough out of the fridge and wait for about 3 minutes. Roll the dough thinly and don't forget to use rice flour so the dough won't stick to the bottom of the silicone or wooden mat.

Cut out the desired shapes of your cookies. I chose Linzer heart cookies. Keep in mind these cookies will be filled so if you have 40 cookies in total, you should cut out the middle of 20 cookies.

Bake the cookies at 400F (200°C) for about 8 minutes.

Step 4: Cool them down and fill them with strawberry jam. Spread about 1/2 tsp of jam in the center of a cookie, then top with a second cookie. These vegan Linzer cookies are best eaten the next day. Enjoy!

SERVING

Serve these gluten-free vegan Linzer cookies dusted with powdered sugar. They are perfectly paired with a cup of tea or coffee.

STORING

Store these cookies in the fridge for up to 1 week. But they are the best eaten the next day because all the flavors will combine.

Tips and tricks for successful gluten-free Linzer cookies

1. Melt the margarine. Don't use cold or room-temperature margarine. You should use melted margarine or butter.
2. Leave the dough in the fridge for about 1 hour. These cookies need time.
3. Help yourself with flour when you roll the dough thinly, it will be so helpful.
4. When the cookies are done and filled with the jam, wait until the next day, so the flavors will combine. The cookies will soften easily so it is worth a wait!

FAQ

Are these Linzer cookies nut-free?

Yes, they are. You can make nut-free Linzer cookies easily with this recipe.

How long should I bake these gluten-free Linzer cookies?

You should bake these for about 8 minutes at 400F (200°C). These cookies are thin so they bake quickly.

More Christmas desserts:

SOFT GLUTEN-FREE GINGERBREAD COOKIES
HEALTHY VEGAN BOUNTY BARS
VEGAN GINGERBREAD LATTE

IF YOU HAVE PINTEREST YOU CAN FOLLOW ME HERE, AND PIN THE FOLLOWING PICTURE ON THE CHRISTMAS RECIPES BOARD!

This post was created on 7.12.2020 and updated on 5.12.2022.