While many cookies are influenced by other cookies from around the world, these famous cookie sandwiches are simply the diminutive form of a much more famous dessert. The Linzer torte, named after the town of Linz, Austria, is a large open-faced tart usually made with a short pastry dough packed with ground hazelnuts and covered in red currant or raspberry jam. More dough is latticed over the top of the jam before being baked. How these cookies – called Linzer augen or “Linzer eyes” – most likely evolved from that dessert seems pretty straightforward: Switch the hazelnuts for almonds and simply stack cookies on top of each other, making sure the top cookie has a cut out so you can see the jam in the center, similar to how the latticed dough provides a peek at the insides of the torte.

In France, there’s a version of these cookies called lunette du romans, or “Roman glasses,” that are basically Linzer augen shaped as ovals and with two holes punched in the top cookie. In Switzerland, these cookies are called spitzbuben, while in Bulgaria, they’re called maslenki. When apricot jam is used instead of red currant jam, these Austrian cookies take on the name Marillenringe or “apricot rings.” The traditional jam used to sandwich these cookies together is red currant, though raspberry jam can substitute.

Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus cooling time.
Cooking time: 15 minutes.
Makes: About 12 cookie sandwiches. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2½ cups (350 g) all-purpose (plain) flour
• 1 cup (120 g) almond flour (ground almonds)
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 sticks (8 oz/225 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (135 g) powdered (icing) sugar, plus more for dusting
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup (320 g) red currant or raspberry jam

METHOD

1. Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C/Gas Mark 3). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, and salt.

3. In a large bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Add the vanilla and egg yolk and beat until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir until the dough forms and there are no dry patches of flour remaining.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. Using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) round cutter, preferably fluted, cut out rounds of dough and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spaced 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Reroll the scraps to cut out more rounds. Using a 1-inch (2.5 cm) round cutter, cut out the centers of half of the dough rounds. Save the centers to bake separately or reroll to cut out a few more cookies.

5. Bake until the cookies are light golden brown at the edges and dry to the touch, 12–15 minutes, switching racks and rotating the baking sheets front to back halfway through.

6. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks. Let the cookies cool on the pans for 1 minute, then transfer them to the racks to cool completely.

7. Spread a heaping teaspoon of the red currant jam over each of the whole cookies. Using a fine sieve, dust the ring-shaped cookies with sugar. Place each ring-shaped cookie over a jam-coated cookie to create sandwiches to serve.