Raspberry Star Cookies
A modern interpretation of the Linzer cookie, these zingy stars are flavored with almonds and vanilla and smothered in tart raspberry jam. Not only are they perfectly delicious, they’ll make a festive statement at any holiday party.
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What are Raspberry Star Christmas Cookies?
From what I gather, these flakey pastry style star shaped cut out cookies are a variation on the Linzer cookie which originated in Austria and was a tart before it became a cookie. While Linzer cookies have a black current filling, these Raspberry Star Christmas Cookies are filled with deliciously tart raspberry jam sandwhiched between two flakey almond vanilla pastry cookies. The dough is cut into star shapes and the top of the sandwhich has a star cutout to showcase the vibrant red color of the raspberry jam. They have a beautiful aesthetic that will impress!
Recipe Tips
Once all the ingredients are mixed, dough should be on the dryer side as this is a pastry-like cookie.
When working with your dough to cut the star shapes, if your dough gets too dry i recommend adding a splash of milk to re-moisten it. Though the dough should be dry/flakey, if it gets too dry/flakey the cookies will not hold their shape properly.
The mini stars are much smaller in size, so I baked those separately and checked them after six minutes to make sure they weren’t burning.
Do I have to use raspberry jam for the filling?
No, you can use any kind of jam that would pair well with the almond flavoring of the cookie. Some tasty alternatives are strawberry jam, apricot jam or blueberry jam among others.
Do I have to use a food processor to make these cookies?
No, a food processor is not required, though it does make it easier to mix the butter into the batter to get the proper pastry-like texture. An alternative option is to buy almond flour to replace the roasted and unsalted blanched almonds and cut the butter in to the almond mixture with a pastry cutter (at the step where you would add the butter to the food processor) until it is really fine and well mixed. Full disclaimer, I have not tried this method however I feel pretty confident that it would work! Let me know how it goes if you do try it.
How to Store Raspberry Star Christmas Cookies
Store raspberry star Christmas cookies at room temperature in an air tight container for up to two days, or store in the refrigerator for up to five days. If stored in the refrigerator, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or pop in the microwave for five to ten seconds to warm to room temperature.
You can also freeze raspberry star Christmas cookies easily. Just place (fully baked and cooled) in an air tight freezer container and store in the freezer for up to three months. Remove from the freezer and place in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to serving.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
star shaped cookie cutters (one large and one small)
How to Make Raspberry Star Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
Dough
2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup roasted and unsalted blanched almonds
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup (two sticks) cold butter, diced
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
Filling
1/3 cup raspberry jam
Topping
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions
In a medium size bowl, add all purpose flour and baking powder and mix until well combined. Set aside.
In a food processor, add almonds, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and process until the almonds are a fine powder and the mixture appears fluffy. Add the diced butter to the mixture and run the food processor until the butter is combined with the almond mixture, about 10 seconds. Place the butter mixture into a large bowl and add the egg, vanilla, and milk. Mix until well combined using a fork.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Dough should be tough but workable.
Divide dough into two balls. I find the easiest way to do this is to roll it into one ball, then cut that ball in half with a knife. Wrap each ball in plastic rap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 370℉. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Prep the surface where you’ll roll out the dough by sprinkling flour over the surface.
When dough is done chilling, flatten each ball into a disk that is about 1/8 inch thick on top of the flour sprinkled surface. A rolling pin is handy for rolling out the dough, but if you don’t have one you can use flat hands. Use the large cookie cutters to cut out the dough into star shapes and place them about two inches apart on the baking sheet. Re-roll and flatten the dough and repeat cutting out shapes until the ball is gone. These are the base of the cookie sandwhich.
Then, repeat with the other ball, only this time use the smaller star cutter to cut out the center of each larger star. These are the tops of the cookie sandwhich. You can also bake the little stars that get cut out of the center, how cute!
Bake cookies for 8 minutes and let cool on a wire rack.
Use a mesh strainer to dust the stars with the cut out center and the mini stars.
Spread raspberry jam over the top of the bottom cookie (the cookie without the cutout) and place the cutout star on top. Repeat for all bottoms and tops until you’re done!
Raspberry Star Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
Directions
- In a medium size bowl, add all purpose flour and baking powder and mix until well combined. Set aside.
- In a food processor, add almonds, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and process until the almonds are a fine powder and the mixture appears fluffy. Add the diced butter to the mixture and run the food processor until the butter is combined with the almond mixture, about 10 seconds. Place the butter mixture into a large bowl and add the egg, vanilla, and milk. Mix until well combined using a fork.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Dough should be tough but workable.
- Divide dough into two balls. I find the easiest way to do this is to roll it into one ball, then cut that ball in half with a knife. Wrap each ball in plastic rap and place in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
- While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 370℉. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet. Prep the surface where you’ll roll out the dough by sprinkling flour over the surface.
- When dough is done chilling, flatten each ball into a disk that is about 1/8 inch thick on top of the flour sprinkled surface. A rolling pin is handy for rolling out the dough, but if you don’t have one you can use flat hands. Use the large cookie cutters to cut out the dough into star shapes and place them about two inches apart on the baking sheet. Re-roll and flatten the dough and repeat cutting out shapes until the ball is gone. These are the base of the cookie sandwhich.
- Then, repeat with the other ball, only this time use the smaller star cutter to cut out the center of each larger star. These are the tops of the cookie sandwhich. You can also bake the little stars that get cut out of the center, how cute!
- Bake cookies for 8 minutes and let cool on a wire rack.
- Use a mesh strainer to dust the stars with the cut out center and the mini stars.
- Spread raspberry jam over the top of the bottom cookie (the cookie without the cutout) and place the cutout star on top. Repeat for all bottoms and tops until you’re done!
*Nutrition is auto-calculated by recipes generator.
