Eierlikör Linzer Cookies

These perfectly crumbly Eierlikör Linzer Cookies are filled with Advocaat spiked pastry cream. They make a delicious addition to your Christmas baking, especially served with a big mug of eggnog or Glühwein!

I love experimenting with new and different German Christmas cookies every year, always adding a few new recipes to my baking repertoire every year. This year I’ve been having fun with Eierlikör Linzer Cookies (Eierlikör-Plätzchen) .

German Eierlikör is also known as Advocaat, and it is a little similar to eggnog. It’s a sweet and delicious rum or brandy-based liqueur, and it makes a wonderfully creamy (and slightly boozy) filling for these traditional cookies.

Star chaped Linzer cookies on a baking sheet filled with egg liqueur.

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.

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.

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. Transfer to baking paper lined trays and bake until just golden brown around the edges, 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on the trays.
  5. 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.

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!)

Or try a seriously tasty Chocolate Hazelnut Babka instead!

Star chaped Linzer cookies on a baking sheet filled with egg liqueur.

Eierlikör Linzer Cookies Recipe

Star chaped Linzer cookies on a baking sheet filled with egg liqueur.

Eierlikör Linzer Cookies

Jay Wadams
These perfectly crumbly Eierlikör Linzer Cookies are filled with Advocaat spiked pastry cream. They make a delicious addition to your Christmas baking, especially served with a big mug of eggnog or Glühwein!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Serves 16 -20 Cookies

Ingredients
 

for the cookie dough:

  • 200 g 7 oz. plain or all-purpose flour
  • 100 g powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 100 g unsalted butter, softened
  • zest of 1 organic orange

for the filling:

  • 250 ml 1 cup whole milk
  • 20 g .75 oz cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar
  • 100 ml just less than ½ a cup Advocaat or Eierlikör
  • 100 g 3.5 oz unsalted butter, very soft
  • 50 g 1.75 oz. powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • MAKE THE DOUGH: Combine the flour, powdered sugar, vanilla sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted. Mix, then add the egg and mix on slow until combined. Add the butter in cubes until you have a rough, pebbly dough. Stir through the orange zest. Turn out onto the bench top, knead briefly until smooth, then wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
  • MAKE THE CUSTARD: Which together the milk, cornstarch and vanilla sugar in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the mixture begins to boil and thicken. Stir through the Eierlikör / Advocaat, then pour into a bowl and cover with clingfilm directly on the surface. Set aside to cool.
  • CUT THE COOKIES: Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4 and line two oven trays with baking parchment paper. Dust the bench top lightly with flour then roll out the dough. Cut out your desired cookie shapes, using a smaller cutter (or a Linzer Cookie Cutter) to cut holes in half of the cookie shapes to make the tops. Re-roll dough as necessary.
  • BAKE THE COOKIES: Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, then bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until just lightly brown around the edges. Set aside to cool on the tray.
  • FILL THE COOKIES: When the cookies have cooled, add the cubed butter and powdered sugar to the filling and use an electric mixer to mix until smooth and combined. Spoon generously onto the cookie bases, place the cookie tops on, and chill to set. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

Store cookies in a cool place in an airtight container.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 27mg | Sugar: 9g
Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.
Course | Sweet Things
Cuisine | German
Ⓒ | Jay Wadams
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Jay Wadams
Jay Wadams

Jay Wadams is a cookbook author, food photographer and Le Cordon Bleu Gastronomy and Nutrition graduate. Based in Italy 🇮🇹 Germany 🇩🇪 and Australia 🇦🇺.

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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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