There’s so much to love about the art of baking, but one of my favorite things is discovering recipes that are a complete reflection of the person behind the recipe. Anyone can create a delicious cookie recipe, but there’s something truly magical about a recipe that transports you directly into someone’s kitchen. You’ll be right next to them, guiding them through each step, sharing secret tips and swapping stories along the way.And that’s exactly how I felt Elizabeth Ho from Bird House Bake Shop I shared this Holiday Linzer Cookie recipe.
In fact, I immediately headed straight to the kitchen to make a batch for myself. Elizabeth’s approach to sweets and desserts is both approachable and beautiful, and celebrating seasonal produce at its best is an art that Elizabeth excels at.
Elizabeth Ho’s Favorite Linzer Cookie Recipe
We’re big fans of these holiday cookie boxes, so we’re excited to add Elizabeth’s Linzer Cookie Recipe to this year’s gift exchange. Linzer cookies feel special, especially during the holiday season. I shared this chocolate orange version last year. The idea of sandwich cookies may seem scary, but once you get into it, you’ll impress everyone with these fanciful treats that look like they’ve been baked for days.
In the coming days, Elizabeth will share her recipes and her approach to baking that takes advantage of the beauty of the season. Plus, prepare delicious flavor variations of these linzers. That way, you’ll find something on your list to satisfy everyone.
Elizabeth Ho
Owner of Birdhouse Bakeshop, Liz’s work is rooted in quality and beauty in simplicity. Her baked goods, always decorated with seasonal flowers, are an outpouring of love, memories and sharing of Chinese-Malaysian heritage. Liz spends her days creating inventive cakes for locals in Edmonton, Canada, in her small home kitchen, along with an ever-changing menu of pastries.
How would you describe your baking and food philosophy?
I believe baking should be loving and emotional, but also practical. I always create in a way that is nurturing, intimate, and calming. Often that means focusing on simple (and nostalgic) ingredients, cooked in thoughtful combinations. I want my recipes to be connected to something personal: memories, family traditions, and places. But I also think it’s important to make the most of what’s around you. I love the way food and pastries bring us closer to nature and the cycles of the seasons.
How did you develop this recipe?
I mostly get great inspiration from life, moods, and seasonal changes. I needed a recipe that could easily adapt to all these changes. These cookies make it much easier to accept my current desires, my environment, and what catches my eye at the farmer’s market or grocery store.
This cookie was made with the contents in mind. With its muted pastel hues and balanced, zesty flavor, you can use all your winter citrus fruits. I like to approach a recipe by looking at the ingredients in front of me and thinking about how they intertwine, not only in terms of taste but also in terms of color and taste. Buttery biscuits are a classic shortbread. It’s flavorful and goes well with jams, curds, creams, and whatever you’re in the mood for at the moment.
Why is this recipe recommended for holiday baking?
They are versatile and nut-free (many traditional Linzer cookies contain almonds). If you make the dough in advance, it will be ready in no time. Perhaps most importantly, they look great in a holiday cookie box.
What kitchen tools do I need for this recipe?
This recipe doesn’t require any special equipment, but a mixer (handheld or stand) is helpful. Have you been waiting all year to use this cute cookie cutter? This is your moment! If you only have a glass cup, use the top as a cookie cutter. If you don’t have a small cutter suitable for the center of the cookie, the back end of the piping spout will work just as well.
What are the standout ingredients that make this recipe special?
Winter can be a depressing time of the year. If you live in a cold climate like I do, it can be unbearably depressing at times. Playing around with bright, boldly colored fruit is a great idea. These cookie fillings are made with all the goodness of winter. Citrus fruits are readily available, so leftover stuffing can be spread on toast, pancakes, cakes, ice cream, or eaten with a spoon. The cardamom in the cookies adds a nice warmth, but adding a teaspoon of coconut extract is also a dream.
I’m all about unexpected flavor combinations – weaving simple ingredients together in unique ways.
What ingredients can I swap out in this recipe?
For citrus curd, use whatever is available. I love grapefruit, blood oranges, and mandarin oranges. Some flavor variations include:
Lavender & strawberry. Instead of the cardamom and orange zest, add 2 teaspoons of dried edible lavender, rubbed into the sugar before whipping. Use your favorite strawberry jam in place of the citrus curd.
Orange blossom & pistachio. Instead of cardamom, add 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water/essence and a spoonful of your favorite pistachio cream or butter (store-bought or homemade). Hazelnuts also pair well with orange blossoms.
These are the perfect containers for your favorite spices, peels, extracts, and fillings. Try playing with it! Apricot and anise, blueberry and black tea, coconut and dulce de leche. Follow your baking heart and intuition. These cookies do not discriminate.
What’s your favorite baking hack you’ve learned over the years?
Thankfully, this recipe is so simple that no tricks are required. I like to make the dough a few days in advance to save time on the day of. Letting it rest well in the refrigerator will allow the flavors to infuse. Tip: Almost all cookie dough tastes better if it rests in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days.
After you roll and cut out the dough, you can store the cut-outs in the freezer (sealed in a ziplock bag or airtight container for up to 1 month) to bake when needed. Putting the cookies in the freezer for a little while before baking will help them maintain their shape.
What advice would you give to novice bakers?
Baking isn’t about having all the professional equipment, a perfectly stocked pantry, or special ingredients. It’s about finding wonder and inspiration in simplicity, surroundings, and memories, and using it to create something nourishing.
Curiosity can be your greatest strength, and perfection is more of a mindset than a way of life.
For me, baking allows me to be ambitious and open to possibilities, yet humble enough to know when to let go of ideas and control. You may not have been able to find quinces at the market. Instead, choose pears or apples that are in season. Don’t feel like having to drive 20 minutes to get orange blossom extract? Use a few teaspoons of orange zest, or use a pungent, nostalgic floral. Any starting point for a recipe will do.
If you don’t let the fear of imperfection or failure get in the way and participate fully, you will grow.
What’s the best part about creating recipes to share for people to take into their own homes?
Every recipe is an extension of me, something that moves me, evokes childhood memories, and family traditions. It’s an outlet of passion, a personal work of love, and it’s nice to know that others can enjoy it and find inspiration too.
I hope people feel warmth, comfort, and connection while baking my recipes. And we hope they feel inspired to spice up their recipes in their own unique way. Through baking, I’ve learned that while certain elements of the process may be predictable, they don’t have to be perfect to enjoy the results. Please accept it! It has comfort and romance.
And we hope that by sharing these cookies, people will remember to hold tight to what’s important: cultivating love, community, and presence.
What kind of cookies would be in your dream cookie box?
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Some things that are getting my love and attention right now:
explanation
Elizabeth Ho’s Linzer Cookies are easier than you think and endlessly adaptable to suit your cravings at the moment. It will become the star of your cookie box.
Citrus curd (makes just over 1 cup, enough to fill the cookies, then add the rest):
- 1/3 cup Citrus juice (78ml)
- 1 big eggs
- 2 large egg yolk
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Granulated sugar (75 grams)
- a pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup Cut unsalted butter into pieces 8 Individual
cookie:
- 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour (282 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 225 grams) softened unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Powdered sugar (64 grams)
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar (25 grams)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla paste or seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- 1 teaspoon orange peel
For citrus curd:
- Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a small pot. In a medium-sized heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl (that can be placed over a pot of water), combine the citrus juice, whole eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and salt.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium heat and place the bowl over the pot like a double broiler. Using a rubber spatula, cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture is very thick. It should be thick enough that the spatula will leave an imprint on the card. This may take up to 25 minutes, so please be patient.
- When it thickens, remove it from the bowl, add the butter and mix. Gently cover the curd with plastic wrap (this will prevent a layer of film from forming) and refrigerate overnight or until completely cool.
For cookies:
- In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla (or use the paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) and mix until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add flour, cardamom (if using), and salt. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to form a wet clump.
- At this point, you can press the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate (or freeze) it for a later date. Let it soften a bit before stretching.
- I like to roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper as soon as I make it. Roll it out to 1/4 inch thick. Place the rolled out dough on a parchment paper, then place it on a large surface (hard placemat, cutting board, parchment paper) and freeze for at least 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter (or cup rim) to cut out an even number of cookies (a 1.5- to 2-inch diameter cutter will yield 28 to 34). Use a small cookie cutter or the back of a piping tip to cut a small hole through the center of half of the cookie cutout.
- Place the cutouts on the cookie sheet about 1-2 inches apart. It won’t spread much. Bake for 8-11 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown. Allow to cool completely before filling.
assembly
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on top of the cooled cookies. Flip the bottom halves and add a spoonful of curd on top of each (about 2 teaspoons, or as much as you like). Place the cookie cutter on top. enjoy!
Stuffed cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. Any longer than that and it may start to soften.
Note
- The citrus curd needs to be made first (the night before) and given time to set and cool.
- Use your favorite citrus fruit for the curd.Grapefruit, mandarin, Meyer lemon, Cara Cara or blood orange, or a mixture of all
- Cardamom is optional. A pinch of cinnamon or a teaspoon of coconut extract also pairs beautifully with citrus.