Meyer Lemon Curd Linzer Cookies (Printable)

Almond shortbread sandwiched with tangy Meyer lemon curd for a bright twist on the classic Linzer.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup finely ground almonds or almond flour
03 - ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
04 - ½ cup granulated sugar
05 - 1 large egg yolk
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - ¼ teaspoon salt

→ Meyer Lemon Curd

09 - ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed Meyer lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
10 - ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
11 - 2 large eggs
12 - 2 large egg yolks
13 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, cubed
14 - 1 teaspoon Meyer lemon zest

→ Assembly

15 - Powdered sugar for dusting

# How-To Steps:

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 until it reaches 170–175°F. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and lemon zest until smooth and emulsified. Transfer to a clean bowl, pressing plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent skin formation, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until fully set.
02 - Cream butter and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until dough comes together. Divide dough into two equal portions, shape into flat disks, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up.
03 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured work surface, roll chilled dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out cookies. For half of the rounds, use a small heart or circle cutter to remove the center, creating windowed tops. Transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool on pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
04 - Generously dust windowed cookies with powdered sugar using a fine-mesh sieve. Spread approximately 1 teaspoon of chilled Meyer lemon curd onto each solid bottom cookie, leaving a small border around the edge. Gently press a windowed cookie onto each filled cookie to create sandwiches. Refrigerate assembled cookies for 15–20 minutes to allow filling to set before serving.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The almond shortbread is impossibly tender and practically melts against your tongue
  • Meyer lemons bring this floral brightness that regular lemons just cant match
  • These look fancy but come together in phases that fit perfectly into a lazy weekend
02 -
  • The curd must chill completely before filling or the cookies will soften and lose their crisp edges
  • Dough that warms up while rolling will stick and lose its clean edges, so work quickly and chill if needed
  • Windowed cookies are fragile once baked, handle them gently when dusting and assembling
03 -
  • Use a ruler or the edge of a butter knife to check dough thickness while rolling for evenly baked cookies
  • Sift powdered sugar from high above the cookies for the lightest, most even dusting

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