Meyer Lemon Linzer Cookies (Printable)

Buttery almond shortbread meets bright Meyer lemon curd in these elegant sandwich cookies with powdered sugar dusting.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup finely ground almonds or almond flour
03 - 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Meyer Lemon Curd

09 - 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh Meyer lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
10 - 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 2 large egg yolks
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
14 - 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest

→ Assembly

15 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and Meyer lemon juice in a heatproof bowl. Set over a simmering pot of water to create a double boiler. Whisk constantly until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, approximately 8-10 minutes at 170-175°F. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and lemon zest until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly touching the surface, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until set.
02 - Cream butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture until dough forms. Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out 2-inch rounds. For half the cookies, cut a small heart or circle from the center to create windows. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool completely on baking sheets.
04 - Dust windowed cookies generously with powdered sugar. Spread a small spoonful of chilled Meyer lemon curd on each solid bottom cookie. Gently press a windowed cookie on top to create sandwiches. Repeat with remaining cookies. Refrigerate briefly to set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The almond shortbread melts on your tongue while the lemon curd wakes up every taste bud
  • These cookies look impressive but the dough is forgiving enough for anyone to master
  • The bright curd cuts through the rich buttery cookie in the most satisfying way
02 -
  • The dough must chill completely or it will stick to your rolling pin and turn into a frustrating mess
  • Let the baked cookies cool fully before assembling or the curd will slide everywhere
  • Meyer lemons are sweeter than regular lemons so if you substitute them reduce the sugar slightly
03 -
  • Grate your lemon zest before juicing so you dont accidentally zest your fingers
  • If the curd looks curdled at any stage keep whisking it usually smooths out completely

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