Chocolate Linzer Cookies. Light crispy chocolate cookie sandwiches filled with orange frosting, mint frosting, strawberry frosting, and chocolate ganache.
I’m a big fan of linzer cookies. The almond flour cookie with a bit of cinnamon tastes amazing and lends itself to creating lots of linzer cookie variations. Swapping out some of the flour and adding cocoa powder creates a delicious chocolate cookie wafer that’s perfect for all your cookie filling ideas.
I’ve made these chocolate ganache linzer cookies on numerous occasions. I will pair the chocolate with peanut butter or almond butter, or flavor the chocolate with mint extract to create a creamy mint chocolate cookie sandwich.
Today I decided to change it up a bit and create some chocolate cookie sandwiches with some frosting filling flavors that pair well with chocolate. For my frosting fillings I used orange extract, mint extract, and strawberry extract. I colored the frostings with orange, green and pink food gel so the bright colors would pop inside the chocolate linzer circle cookie sandwiches.
Why Make These Cookie Sandwiches
- chocolate cookie perfect for sandwich building
- chocolate + orange / chocolate + mint / chocolate + strawberry
- chocolate + chocolate ganache
- cookie dough can be made days in advance
- these cookies store very well.
How To Make Chocolate Linzer Cookies
Cookies
Unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour and almond flour, baking powder, and kosher salt are added to a small mixing bowl, whisked to combine, and set aside.
Softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar are added to a stand mixer and beaten on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Egg and vanilla bean paste are added to the stand mixer and beaten on low just long enough to incorporate.
The flour mixture is added to the stand mixer and beaten on low just long enough for the dough to come together. Avoid over mixing.
The dough is shaped into a flat rectangle and wrapped in plastic. Dough is chilled for 30 minutes, and up to 3 days.
I usually make the dough for these cookies a day in advance. The next day I prepare the sandwich cookie fillings and then proceed to bake off the cookies. As soon as the cookies are cool, I build the cookies.
The oven is preheated to 325 degrees F. Two cookie sheets are lined with parchment paper.
The chilled dough is unwrapped and a large cutting board or flat surface is lightly dusted with flour. The dough is rolled into a large rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. The rolling pin and board may need additional flour as you’re are rolling the dough out. Move the dough around as you’re going along to keep it from sticking.
Cut the desired shapes using round cookie cutters. Small circles in the center of half the cut shapes. Place the cookie rounds on parchment lined baking sheets about 1-inch apart.
Cookies are baked in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes. Cookies should be set. Cookie sheets are removed from the oven and placed on wire rack to cool. Cookies are cooled completely before filling.
The Frostings
Softened unsalted butter is added to a stand mixer. The butter is beaten on medium speed for 5 minutes. The powdered sugar is added to the stand mixer and beaten on medium for 5 minutes. A drop of extract (mint, orange, or strawberry) is added to the stand mixer along with a drop of food coloring gel. The frosting is beaten on medium long enough for the color to be consistent. Taste and make any adjustments.
I use good butter here and while I might add a bit of heavy cream when making American buttercream, I opt not too with the cookie filling so the frosting is sturdy. You could replace the frosting fillings with good mint jam, orange marmalade, or strawberry jam. Or a jam or jelly of your choice that pairs well with chocolate.
About 1 tablespoon of the frosting is spread on one cookie round. A second cookie round is placed on the frosted cookie and pressed down to push the frosting out towards the edges, and to seal.
Chocolate Ganache
Simmered heavy cream is poured over chocolate chips in a small bowl and set aside for a few minutes so the chocolate can melt. The mixture is stirred until smooth and glossy. The ganache should be cooled slightly before spreading.
About 1 tablespoon of the chocolate ganache is spread on one cookie round. A second cookie round is placed on the frosted cookie and pressed down to push the frosting out towards the edges, and to seal.
Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several days.
Other Cookie Recipes You Might Enjoy
Some of our most popular cookie recipes include linzer cookies, peanut butter cookies with peanut butter chips, apple walnut and dark chocolate oatmeal cookies, almond butter cookies with almonds and chocolate, and cherry chocolate chip cookies.
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Chocolate Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Linzer Cookies:
- 60 grams unsweetened cocoa powder (1/2 cup)
- 360 grams all-purpose flour (2-3/3 cups)
- 100 grams almond flour (1 cup)
- 5 grams baking powder (1 teaspoon)
- 5 grams kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
- 226 grams unsalted butter (1 cup OR 2 sticks), room temperature
- 250 grams granulated sugar (1-1/4 cups)
- 100 grams egg (2 large), room temperature
- 5 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
Mint Frosting:
- 56 grams unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
- 120 grams powdered sugar (1 cup)
- 2 drops mint extract
Orange Frosting:
- 56 grams unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
- 120 grams powdered sugar (1 cup)
- 2 drops orange extract or orange essential oil
Strawberry Frosting:
- 56 grams unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
- 120 grams powdered sugar (1 cup)
- 2 drops strawberry extract
Chocolate Ganache:
- 85 grams semisweet chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
- 60 grams heavy cream (1/4 cup)
Instructions
Chocolate Linzer Cookies:
- Add unsweetened cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and kosher salt to small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add unsalted butter and granulated sugar to stand mixer. Beat on medium with paddle attachment for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary.
- Add eggs and vanilla bean paste to sugar mixture and beat on low for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary.
- Add flour mixture to stand mixture and beat on low just long enough for the dough to come together.
- Place dough on plastic wrap, pat down to disc about 1-inch thick. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours and up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a large cutting board or flat surface. Roll out cold dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into circles using a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter. Cut small circles in the center of half the cut shapes.
- Re-roll any leftover dough and cut more cookies.
- Arrange all cut cookies on prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake cookies 12 to 15 minutes, or until light golden around the edges.
- Remove cookie sheets from oven and place on wire rack to cool. Cool cookies completely before filling.
Mint Frosting:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and mint extract to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
Orange Frosting:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and orange extract to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
Strawberry Frosting:
- Add unsalted butter to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes. Add powdered sugar and strawberry extract to stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 4 minutes.
Chocolate Ganache:
- Place semisweet chocolate chips in small bowl. Heat heavy cream in small saucepan or in microwavable bowl until simmering. Pour over chocolate. Set aside for 2 minutes. Stir with spoon until smooth and glossy.
Assembly:
- Top the one solid circle half with about 1 tablespoon of frosting or ganache. Place a second cookie over the filling and press lightly to seal.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for several days.
