Easy Linzer Torte Recipe

Linzer torte may not be the oldest sweet treat on the planet — that would be honey-dipped nuts and fruit, according to Candy History. But it is pretty old, given that the first recorded Linzer torte recipe goes all the way back to 1653 Austria, according to Southland Times, and that makes it the oldest dessert recipe in the world. Now, recipe developer and food photographer Jessica Morone has fashioned a new recipe that tastes every bit as authentic as any Linzer torte you might pick up at a Viennese patisserie but which takes a shortcut to get there.

As Morone explains, "The base of the recipe is packaged sugar cookie mix, which cuts down on some of the time it would take to find and measure out ingredients. Also, the lattice top isn't weaved together, the strips are just placed over each other so it looks similar, but saves time."

That last bit, in particular, took us by pleasant surprise because it took us a minute to notice that the Morone's lattice-top wasn't woven. In addition, Morone's recipe offers a mini-bonus: as you'll see, she substitutes ground almonds for ½ of the cookie mix, and you can use that extra cookie mix to make the cookie equivalent of a microwave mug cake. We'll explain how! 

Gather your ingredients

Morone's easy recipe for Linzer torte will require a 17.5-ounce package of sugar cookie mix (Morone uses Betty Crocker), from which you'll remove ½ cup and replace it with ½ cup of ground almonds. That's because classic Linzer torte is imbued with a subtle almond flavor. Put that extra cookie mix aside for now while you gather together the rest of the Linzer torte ingredients: 1 large egg, 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter (softened), 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and 1 ¼ cups seedless raspberry jam.

Now, of course, there's the matter of the remaining cookie mix. if you plan to use the extras to make a mini-batch of cookies, you'll need another egg, another tablespoon of butter, and 3 tablespoons of flour. You can also toss in a few chocolate chips, bake at 350 F for 12 minutes, and get a nice little treat for your troubles. But for now, let's focus on this lovely Linzer torte.

Create the Linzer torte crust

To start, open the package of premade sugar cookie mix and remove ½ cup of the stuff inside. Set that aside for your mini-batch of cookies or for anything else you might like to make with it. 

Place the rest of the cookie mix in a large bowl. Add the ground almonds, egg, softened butter, cinnamon, lemon zest, and almond extract. Mix until a dough forms, being careful not to overmix the contents of the bowl.

Pat the dough into a tart tin

Now that it's all combined, divide the dough into thirds. Roll ⅓ of the dough into a ball shape, cover it in plastic wrap, and put it in the refrigerator to cool for about 20 minutes. 

While you are waiting for the dough to get to a lower temperature, spray a 9-inch tart tin with non-stick cooking spray. Press the remaining dough into the bottom and sides of this prepared tart tin. Then, spread the seedless raspberry jam evenly over the bottom of the crust.

Form your lattice top crust

A classic lattice-top crust is actually a genuine weave of dough strips, which admittedly isn't all that difficult to make with classic pie dough. For Morone's recipe and the sugar cookie mixture, however, you won't need to do any weaving. And who will even know the difference? 

First, since you're pretty close to the baking step for this easy Linzer torte, this would be a good time to preheat the oven to 350 F. Now, for the lattice-top crust, simply remove the chilled dough from your refrigerator, place it onto a lightly floured surface, and roll it out into a 10-inch circle. Using a sharp knife or a rolling pastry cutter. slice the dough into 1-inch strips. 

Place half of the strips across the torte, spacing them evenly and pressing the dough into the sides of the pastry that's already in the sides of the tin. Then place the remaining strips in the other direction across the first set. If a strip breaks, Morone says that you can just pat it together, using a bit of water if needed.

Bake your Linzer torte

All that is left to do now is to bake your easy Linzer torte. Well, almost. First, be sure to place your assembled Linzer torte into the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes. 

Next, assuming your oven has preheated to 350 F, it's time to place the tart tin into the oven for 30 minutes. If the crust is not yet golden at the end of this time, you'll want to give it 5 more minutes, keeping an eye on the torte to make sure that nothing is overcooking or burning. 

When it's ready, remove the baked Linzer torte from the oven and allow it to cool. Then carefully release it from the tart tin and serve. For a really authentic feel, sift a bit of confectioner's sugar over the crust.

Easy Linzer Torte Recipe
4.9 from 16 ratings
Here's a new recipe that tastes every bit as authentic as any Linzer torte you might pick up at a Viennese patisserie but which takes a shortcut to get there.
Prep Time
30
minutes
Cook Time
30
minutes
Servings
8
servings
Easy Linzer tort ready to serve
Total time: 1 hour
Ingredients
  • 1 (17.5oz) package sugar cookie mix
  • ½ cup ground almonds
  • 1 egg
  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 ¼ cup seedless raspberry jam
Optional Ingredients
  • Confectioner's sugar
Directions
  1. Open the sugar cookie mix and remove ½ cup. Place the rest of the cookie mix in a large bowl.
  2. Add the ground almonds, egg, softened butter, cinnamon, lemon zest, and almond extract. Mix until a dough forms.
  3. Separate ⅓ of the dough, shape it into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  4. Spray a 9-inch tart pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  5. Press the remaining dough in the bottom and sides of the prepared tart pan.
  6. Spread raspberry jam evenly over the crust.
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  8. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it onto a lightly floured surface.
  9. Roll the dough out into a 10-inch circle, then cut the pastry into 1-inch strips.
  10. Place half of the strips evenly spaced across the torte, pressing the dough into the sides.
  11. Place the remaining strips in the other direction across the first strips.
  12. Place the prepared torte in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
  13. Bake the torte in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the crust is golden brown.
  14. Remove the torte from the oven and let it cool. Take the torte out of the pan, cut, and serve.
  15. Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.
Nutrition
Calories per Serving 593
Total Fat 30.7 g
Saturated Fat 12.9 g
Trans Fat 0.5 g
Cholesterol 50.5 mg
Total Carbohydrates 77.2 g
Dietary Fiber 1.5 g
Total Sugars 24.6 g
Sodium 205.2 mg
Protein 5.1 g
The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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