Orange-Cranberry Linzer Cookies

How do I prevent my Linzer cookies from getting soft/stale with filling? These orange-cranberry Linzer cookies actually taste even better once they’ve been allowed to sit after assembly but for best flavor and texture they should be served within 12 hours, after that the cookies will continue to soften – eventually to a “stale” texture.
This can be avoided by doing 2 things. First, simply delay the assembly until 12 hours prior to serving. If this is not possible, you may brush the inside of the both the top and base cookies with melted cocoa butter or melted white chocolate. Once the layer cools, it will protect the cookies from excess moisture being absorbed from the cranberry filling.

how to make orange-cranberry linzer cookies

Step 1. Sift the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder & salt. Set aside.

Step 2. Add the egg, orange zest and granulated sugar to a bowl and beat with a mixer until pale yellow.
Beating til pale ensures that enough air is incorporated and indicates that the sugar has been completely dissolved. Also, as the egg is beat, the proteins are denatured resulting in a softer texture for the cookies vs a super crisp one.

Step 3. Add the butter and beat again until relatively smooth (about 2-3 minutes). A few tiny chunks are fine as they will resolve once the dough is rolled out. If you are using a stand mixer, stop halfway to scrape down the sides/bottom of your bowl as the butter tends to stick to the sides at first.

Step 4. Add the dry ingredients from step 1 and mix on the lowest setting of your mixer until it is smooth.

Step 5. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of parchment paper (about 2 feet long) shaping it into a square/rectangle. Wrap in the parchment paper to cover then chill for 20-30 minutes until firm. While the dough chills, make your cranberry filling.

Step 6. Once the dough has been chilled, unwrap the parchment paper and sprinkle with flour on both the top and the bottom to prevent sticking. Take another sheet of parchment paper of equal length sandwiching the dough.

Step 7. Using a rolling pin with optional, but highly recommended, guide rings roll the dough out to 2-3 mm thickness. Peel back the parchment paper periodically and dust with more flour as needed to ensure the dough does not stick to the parchment paper. Remember to flip the dough as well ensuring that this is done to both sides of the dough.

Step 8. After rolling out the dough to the desired thickness chill once more for 10 minutes. Preheat the oven to 310°F during this time.
This second chill is important as it makes cutting out shapes easy and helps the cookies keep the distinct shapes while baking.

Step 9. After the second chill, use your Linzer cookie cutters to cut out shapes. For every cookie cutout with a “window” opening, cut out a solid shape for the base layer of the sandwich cookie. Re-roll the dough as needed to maximize the amount of cookies. Keep in mind that as your re-roll the dough it will start to warm up and soften so you may need to chill again for a few minutes.
With 2 re-rolls, this recipe makes about 3o assembled orange-cranberry Linzer cookies.
If you’d like to reduce waste, when you re-roll the dough the first time after cutting out desired shapes you can choose to roll it in a rectangular shape, cutting out rectangles without “windows” for baking.

Step 10. Add your cut out cookie dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Leave about a quarter to a half-inch of space between the cookies to allow for proper air circulation and even baking.

Step 11. Once removed from the oven, allow the cookies to cool for 3-5 minutes on the baking sheet. This allows the cookies to “set” as attempting to move/transfer them too early can disfigure the shapes.

making the cranberry filling

Step 1. Slice the cranberries half or mash them down with potato masher. Cranberries have a relatively low water content and do not readily leech any moisture so exposing the inside increases the surface area as well as helps the sugar draw the water and flavor out.

Step 2. Add the sliced/mashed cranberries to a saucepan along with the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Reduce over low-medium heat until cranberries are softened and the liquid has a syrupy consistency. Remove from heat.

Step 3. Use an immersion blender (or other blender) to puree the reduction to a jelly like consistency. Pour in desired storage container and allow to cool completely before assembling cookies.

assembling the orange-cranberry Linzer cookies

Step 1. Separate your top cookies with the “windows” from the base cookies. Using a fine-meshed sieve, sift confectioner’s sugar on the top cookies.

Step 2. Add the (cooled) cranberry filling to the base cookies ( about 1-2 teaspoons each). Make sure to spread the filling evenly across the cookie leaving a small clean border along the edge. If you leave the filling in a peaked dollop in the center of the cookie most of the filling will push up through the top cookie’s window instead of spreading to fill out the space between the two cookies

Step 3. Finish the cookie by creating a sandwich with the top cookies that were dusted earlier with confectioner’s sugar. Apply slight pressure so that the filling spreads out between the cookies towards the edge.

Step 4. Store in an airtight container until serving. Serve within 12 hours for optimal texture.
If you are wanting to serve a day after, either delay assembly until 12 hours prior to serving or brush the inside of the cookies with a thin layer of melted white chocolate or cocoa butter. Once they harden they act as a barrier preventing too much moisture from being absorbed by the cookies.