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! 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.