Grinch Linzer cookies are a buttery cookie and a sweet raspberry jam filling and are a must-have this holiday season. Inspired by the Grinch movie we all know and love, these traditional Linzer cookies get a fun Grinch makeover.
Grinch Linzer Cookies are fun, whimsical treats that are always a holiday hit. Even the Grinch himself couldn’t resist these cookies. With a blend of sweet raspberry jam and buttery almond goodness, these Grinch cookies are sure to melt hearts with their Christmas spirit.
We have a ton of super cute Grinch desserts and treats! Feel free to browse all these fun Grinch-themed foods.
Why You’ll Love These Grinch Linzer Cookies
- Homemade cookies that are buttery, rich in almond flavor, and a sweet raspberry filling.
- All you need are basic ingredients these fun green cookies that scream Christmas.
- Make ahead friendly to have on hand for your entertaining needs, bake sales, cookie exchanges, etc.
- Easy recipe with simple step-by-step instructions.
Kitchen Equipment Needed
- Baking Sheet / Cookie Sheet
- Electric Hand Mixer Or Stand Mixer
- Large Bowl
- Wire Rack
- Measuring Cups
- Linzer cookie cutter (here’s a set of inexpensive Linzer cookie cutters on Amazon)
Ingredients
BUTTER: Use unsalted butter and let it softened at room temperature. This helps provide a flaky and light texture to the cookies.
EGG: You’ll need 1 egg yolk for the binding agent in the cake mix.
SUGARS: I’m using both powdered sugar and granulated sugar for this recipe.
CINNAMON: Ground cinnamon adds a warm spice flavor to these cookies.
VANILLA: A teaspoon of vanilla extract elevates the flavor of the cookies. Make sure you are using Pure Vanilla Extract for the best flavor.
FLOUR: All-purpose flour and almond flour are both used to create the perfect flour mixture to help create the perfect Linzer texture.
SALT: Sea salt is a must for the cookies. It is going to bring all the flavors out in the cookie recipe.
FOOD COLORING: Use green food gel coloring or liquid food coloring for the Dr. Seuss sandwich cookies. Gel food coloring yields brighter colors.
RED JAM: We need a red jam to make the Grinch Linzer cookies have a red heart in the middle. I’m using raspberry jam for the middle layer. You can also use strawberry jam. Whichever you like better, it’s your choice!
How to Make Grinch Linzer Cookies
Here are the step-by-step instructions:
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and cinnamon until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed, for about 3 minutes.
2. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue to beat until fully combined.
3. Next, add the dry ingredients: mix flour, almond flour, and cinnamon into the egg mixture. Don’t over-beat, mix until just combined.
4. Add in the green food coloring and slowly mix until you get the perfect cookie dough Grinch green color.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the cookie dough from drying out. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes until it feels soft enough to roll. It should still feel cold but shouldn’t feel rock-hard.
7. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8″ thick. Using a 2 1/2″ round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the scrap dough, roll, and repeat. If at any time during this process, the dough becomes sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate it again for 15-20 minutes, until firm.
8. Cut 15 rounds from the remaining dough.
9. Once you’ve transferred these cookies to a baking sheet, use a small heart cookie cutter to make a peekaboo cutout in the center of half of the cookies. These will be the top cookie showing the red jam through the heart cut-out.
10. Continue to re-roll the scrapes of dough to get as many cookies as possible.
11. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
12. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
13. Add jam to the bottom cookie. Use the back of a spoon to spread jam across the center of each cookie. Next, Add the cookie with the cutout on top to make it a sandwich cookie.
14. Sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar for a gorgeous snowy look.
Tips
- Chilling the dough is essential to keeping the cookies from spreading out too much as they bake.
- Evenly roll out the cookie dough, so you get even thickness of cookies. This makes sure all the cookies bake at the same rate.
- Place powdered sugar into a small mesh sieve for dusting the top of the cookies. It enhances the look and adds sweetness to the cookies.
- Be careful not to over-bake the cookies which makes them dry out.
Variations
- Add tiny red heart sprinkles around the outside of the cookies. The tiny hearts are a trademark of Grinch themed-foods. You could also use a tiny red heart sprinkle to place in the center of the cookie jam.
- Swap the vanilla extract with almond extract for a more almond-flavored cookie.
- Change up the shape with a different-shaped cookie cutter. Just use a smaller cookie cutter for cutting out the window for showcasing the jam.
- Want to change out the filling? Fill the cookies with a red chocolate ganache, different flavors of jam, a red icing, etc. Have fun with your holiday baking!
Can I make Grinch Linzer Cookies in Advance?
Go right ahead and prepare the cookie dough one day ahead of time and refrigerate it.
You can also make these cookies 1-2 days in advance before serving. They’ll still taste fresh!
How to Store Leftovers
Store these Grinch Linzer cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Make sure that if you stack you place parchment paper or wax paper between the layers of the cookies. This prevents them from sticking.
You can also freeze these cookies as well. Place in a freezer container and freeze for up to 3-4 months. Then thaw at room temperature.
Related Recipes: More Sweet Grinch Desserts
Grinch Cupcakes (with a surprise baked in!)
These Grinch Linzer cookies are a fun holiday tradition to serve up for cookie recipes exchanges, Christmas parties or the cutest cookies for a holiday snack. These “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” cookies are going to be the star of your cookie platter. And friends and family will love a delicious cookie that melts in your mouth with each bite.
Grinch Linzer Cookies
Grinch Linzer cookies are a buttery cookie and a sweet raspberry jam filling and are a must-have this holiday season. Inspired by the Grinch movie we all know and love, these traditional Linzer cookies get a fun Grinch makeover.
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 1/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 Cup Almond Flour
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt
- Green food coloring
- Raspberry Jam, for filling (or strawberry jam)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and cinnamon until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed, for about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue to beat until fully combined.
- Next, add the dry ingredients: mix flour, almond flour, and cinnamon into the egg mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Add in the green food coloring and slowly mix until you get the perfect cookie dough Grinch green color.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap to prevent the cookie dough from drying out. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften for 5 to 10 minutes until it feels soft enough to roll. It should still feel cold but shouldn't feel rock-hard.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8" thick. Using a 2 1/2" round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Transfer rounds to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the scrap dough, roll, and repeat. If at any time during this process, the dough becomes sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate it again for 15-20 minutes, until firm.
- Cut rounds from the remaining dough.
- Once you've transferred these cookies to a baking sheet, use a small heart cookie cutter to make a peekaboo cutout in the center of half of the cookies. These will be the top cookie showing the red jam through the heart cut-out.
- Continue to re-roll the scrapes of dough to get as many cookies as possible.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn brown. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Add jam to the bottom cookie. Use the back of a spoon to spread jam across the center of each cookie. Next, Add the cookie with the cutout on top to make it a sandwich cookie.
- Sprinkle with a dusting of powdered sugar for a gorgeous snowy look.
Notes
See recipe post for additional tips and variations.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 206Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 36mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g
Nutritional values are estimates and not exact.