Chocolate Almond Cherry Linzer Cookies Recipe

🍒 Why tart Montmorency cherries?

Montmorency cherries are the most commonly grown tart cherry variety in the United States and are widely available frozen year-round. Tart cherries have higher acidity and more intense cherry flavor than sweet table cherries, which makes them ideal for cooking and baking. Their sour-sweet profile and vibrant red color are thanks to anthocyanins, the pigments that give cherries their deep hue.

Because fresh tart cherries are delicate and don’t store well, frozen U.S.-grown Montmorency cherries are an excellent pantry staple for pies, jams, and fillings. The bright, tangy flavor of Montmorency cherries really shines in cooked preparations like this jam.

Tart Montmorency cherries: Look for frozen, pitted tart cherries. They provide a bright, intense cherry flavor that works beautifully when cooked down into a jam.

Cinnamon: A small amount of ground cinnamon adds warmth and helps accentuate the cherries’ flavor without tasting overtly spicy.

Cocoa powder: Dutch-processed cocoa offers a darker color and a rounder, less acidic chocolate flavor; natural cocoa will work if that’s what you have.

All-purpose flour: For reliable results, weigh the flour when possible. If you measure by volume, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it off without packing.

Almond flour: Adds buttery richness, tender texture, and a nutty flavor that complements the cherries.

Almond extract: A small amount reinforces the almond flavor and pairs nicely with cherries.

Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can control the salt level; salted butter is fine if you reduce added salt.

Step 1: Chop the frozen cherries into smaller pieces if needed and place them in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and lemon juice, then warm the mixture over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Step 2: As the cherries release their juices, stir regularly to prevent sticking. After about 10–15 minutes the mixture will reduce and become syrupy; it will thicken further as it cools. Transfer the jam to a heat-safe jar and cool to room temperature before using.

Step 1: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat softened butter and sugar until creamy. Mix in the salt, vanilla, and almond extract until combined.

Step 2: Gently stir in the almond flour, cocoa powder, and all-purpose flour until the dough is uniform and no streaks remain. Avoid overmixing.

Step 3: Turn the dough onto a sheet of parchment, top with another sheet, and roll to about 1/4″ thickness.

Step 4: Cut rounds with a cookie cutter. For half the cookies, cut a smaller shape from the center to create the Linzer top. Arrange cookies on a parchment-lined sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Step 5: Chill the cut cookies on the baking sheet in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to firm up, then bake 10–11 minutes until fragrant. These cookies don’t brown much, so watch the time carefully to avoid overbaking.

Step 6: Move baked cookies to a rack to cool completely. Re-roll scraps and repeat until all dough is used.

Step 7: Dust the cookie tops (the ones with the center cutout) with powdered sugar using a fine sieve.

Step 8: To assemble, place the uncut cookies bottom-side up, add about 1 teaspoon of cooled cherry jam to each, then gently top with a powdered-sugar-cutout cookie, pressing lightly at the edges to sandwich without breaking.

✔️ Expert chocolate cherry Linzer cookie tips

1. Thicken the jam well: Cook the cherries until the mixture is syrupy so little moisture remains to make the cookies soggy. It will set more as it cools.
2. Use softened butter: Butter should be creamy but not melted to make mixing easier.
3. Mix carefully: Once you add the flours, stop mixing as soon as the dough looks uniform to avoid toughness.
4. Chill before baking: Briefly freezing the cut cookies helps them keep their shape and improves texture.

You can likely substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour, though results may vary by blend. If you try it, adjust handling as needed since gluten-free doughs can be more delicate.

Yes. Natural cocoa will work, but the cookies will be slightly lighter in color and may have a tangier cocoa note compared with Dutch-processed cocoa.

This jam relies on cooking the fruit down until it becomes thick and syrupy rather than using added pectin. Lemon juice helps brighten the flavor and aids the natural pectin in the fruit to set the jam.

Yes, you can. Homemade jam is easy and has a fresher flavor, but a very thick, low-moisture store-bought jam will also work.

Yes. Because this jam isn’t canned, keep it refrigerated. Once the cookies are filled, storing them in the fridge is recommended for best safety, though filled cookies can be left at room temperature for short periods.

Chopping makes the jam less chunky and easier to spread between cookie layers. Chopping frozen or partially thawed cherries is easiest.

Reducing the sugar will yield a thinner, less stable jam that may make the cookies soggy. The sugar helps thicken, preserve, and balance the tartness of the cherries.