Linzer Batter

So…let’s try that again. Here’s a pipe-able Linzer batter. This is enough for one 11″ torte or many cookies. If you plan on making piped cookies with this, omit the cinnamon and cloves. I also recommend adding an extra ounce of flour for cookies, so the batter doesn’t run quite so much. So here we go:

9 ounces whole blanched almonds, peeled hazelnuts or a combination
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoons cloves
11 ounces cake flour
1 teaspoons lemon zest
10 ounces butter
8 ounces granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature

If you’re using almonds, begin by toasting them (peeled hazelnuts are already toasted). Preheat your oven to 350, place the hazelnuts on sheet pan and bake 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Once the nuts are cool, grind them in a food processor until they’re fine but not paste-like.

Sift together the flour, spices and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the zest. Add the ground nuts and set aside.

Now, in the bowl of a mixer fitter with the paddle (beater) beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. With the machine running, add the eggs and yolks. Beat again until fluffy. Fold in the nut/flour mixture and you’re done. Now all you need is a piping bag!

6 thoughts on “Linzer Batter”

  1. I adore this site.
    It’s all I’ve been searching for, for quite some time now. Intelligent, neat, clean & simple, non-pretencious yet so insightful. LOOOVE IT!!! I am a woman, but female chefs really tend to get carried away being too pretencious and miss the simplicity of it all. You’ve done just that. 🙂 Compliments!
    Goes directly in my fav list!!
    Greetings from Croatia…
    I.

    1. I’m very glad to be here for you, Irena. I love your country. I was there as a student in 1986. Zagreb was not beautiful then, but I enjoyed it. Split was very beautiful, and the people were friendly. Perhaps I will return there and eat at your restaurant!

      Thank you for your very kind words. Come back often and get in touch if I can be of any help to you. Cheers,

      – Joe

  2. Even hough I am from Austria and have literarely 1000,s of cooky , recipes I am still looking for a perfect cooky dough. Mine are always difficult to roll out. Years ago (when I was much younger, I had no problem.) Is the flour different ? I Often use Hecklers or any old flour. The Linzer cooky (cutout) is everybodys favorite. I used to make abourt 15 kinds of cookies for Christmas, but nobody eats sweet anymore, so I just give them away. Christmas without cookies are is not Christmas. I am in my 80,s now, but it has to be done.I love your instructions, eben so I just mix everything into the kitchenmachine and it always comes out OK. Theresia

    1. Hello Theresia!

      I’m not sure about the flour to be honest. Is the dough breaking or splitting when you roll it? Is that the problem?

      – Joe

  3. Hi Joe,

    With the extra ounce of flour, if I pipe the dough, will it hold its shape?
    I am trying to find a recipe for piping hedgehog shaped biscuits (basically a round body with pinched front) but haven’t found a good one. I thing standard shortbread is either too hard or too soft. I imagine Linzer biscuit doing would be great!
    Do you think it will hold?

    1. Hi Fernanda!

      Very interesting. I’d start with the standard recipe and fold in additional flour until you feel you’re at the right consistency. It’s going to be hard to keep it from running at least a little in the oven, but who knows? This is how baking innovations happen! Let me know how things work out!

      – Joe

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