Eierlikör Linzer Cookies

Ingredients

To make Eierlikör Linzer Cookies, you’ll need the following main ingredients:

FLOUR: In Germany, we use soft cake flour for baking cookies called 405, similar to Italian ’00’ flour. You can, however, use plain or all-purpose flour to bake these cookies.

SUGAR: Powdered / confectioner’s sugar gives these cookies a lovely lightness, and vanilla sugar flavours, without adding too much liquid.

BUTTER: I always use unsalted butter when I cook, that way, I can control the amount of salt in the final product. It needs to be at a very soft room temperature for this recipe.

EGG: I use a German-size medium egg in this recipe, which is closer to a U.S.-size large.

ORANGE OR LEMON ZEST: Adds a lovely hint of citrus to the cookie dough.

MILK AND CORNSTARCH: These ingredients combine to make a simple pastry cream.

EIERLIKÖR / ADVOCAAT: European Egg Liqueur. Similar to eggnog in flavour, Eierlikör is a simple combination of spirits, egg yolks and sugar. You’ll find it with the liqueurs in larger liquor stores, easily identifiable by its creamy yellow colour.

Ingredients for Eierlikör Plätzchen seen from above.

The complete ingredient list and detailed instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Advocaat or Eierlikör in a measuring cup.

Advocaat pastry cream with a whisk in a saucepan.

Pastry cream chilling with clingfilm on the top.

Instructions

Give yourself a little time to make German Christmas Cookies like these, allowing the dough to chill means your cookies will hold their shape and look more beautiful.

First, mix the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, before adding the egg, very soft butter and orange zest. You only need to run the mixer on low speed, the goal here is to not introduce too much air into the mixture, causing the cookies to spread. Knead the dough just to combine, then chill for 30 minutes.

To make the simple Eierlikör pastry cream, whisk together milk, vanilla sugar and cornstarch, then cook over medium heat (stirring all the time) until it has thickened. Remove from the heat, add the eierlikör, then press clingfilm directly on the surface (this stops it from building a skin). Set aside to cool while you roll the cookies.

On a lightly floured bench top, roll the cookie dough out, then use cookie cutters to cut out your liner cookies. You can either use a smaller cookie cutter to cut a window out of each top, or use a special Linzer cookie cutter to make your life easier! (link in recipe card).

Transfer to baking paper lined trays and bake until just golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the trays.

While the cookies are cooling, use an electric mixer to beat softened butter and powdered sugar into the cooled Eierlikör filling. Spoon the filling generously onto the base of each cookie, then place the other half of the cookie on top, allowing the filling to bulge a little through the cutout. Chill to set, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Unbaked Linzer cookies on a baking sheet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these cookies without alcohol?

Of course, you can just use a standard pastry cream, jam (like in my seriously good Spitzbuben recipe) or even lemon or lime curd.

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes! This sort of cookie dough freezes wonderfully. Keep it well wrapped to prevent freezer burn.

Baked but unfilled Linzer Cookies on a baking sheet.

Closeup of Linzer cookies filled with eierlikör cream.

If you’re keen on trying more delicious German Christmas cookie recipes, why not give Spitzbuben, Speculaas, Zimtsterne or Vanillekipferl a go? (Try saying that ten times fast!)