Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies Recipe tastes like buttery shortbread hugging bright, tangy raspberry jam with a tiny crunch from chia seeds. This small-batch dessert fits Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, kids’ baking days, or any weekend when you want a cute project that takes about 1 hour start to finish. I baked a version of these for my neighbor’s anniversary last year, and they still bring it up every time they see me in the hallway.
Why Make This Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies Recipe at Home
Homemade Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies taste fresher and more tender than anything from a box. You control the sweetness, the thickness of the jam, and the level of nuttiness in the cookie base.
You also skip weird preservatives and use pantry ingredients you probably already own. Plus, cutting out tiny hearts and sandwiching them with ruby-red jam feels oddly therapeutic, like arts and crafts that you get to eat.
“These Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies taste like a bakery treat, but my kids watched them bake and still thought I bought them from a fancy shop.”
Ingredients You Need
For the Raspberry Chia Jam
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- Frozen raspberries work perfectly and usually cost less.
- 2–3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- Use 2 tablespoons for a tart jam, 3 tablespoons for a sweeter one.
- 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds
- Any brand works; I usually grab a basic store brand.
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Small pinch of fine sea salt
For the Linzer Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- Use a gluten-free 1:1 baking blend if you need a gluten-free option.
- ¾ cup (75 g) finely ground almond flour
- Superfine almond flour gives a more tender crumb than almond meal.
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
- I like a European-style butter for extra richness, but any good unsalted butter works.
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Optional, but it gives that classic Linzer cookie flavor.
To Finish
- ½ cup raspberry chia jam (from above)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Equipment List
- Small saucepan
- Fork or potato masher
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rubber spatula
- Plastic wrap or reusable silicone wrap
- Rolling pin
- Heart-shaped cookie cutters
- One larger heart (about 2 to 2 ½ inches) and one tiny heart for the “window.”
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Wire cooling rack
- Fine mesh sieve for powdered sugar (optional but helpful)
Tips & Mistakes
- Chill the dough at least 30 minutes so the cookies hold their shape and bake evenly.
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to avoid sticking and extra flour.
- Keep the cookie thickness even, about ⅛ to ¼ inch, so they bake at the same speed.
- Cut an equal number of solid hearts and “window” hearts so you can sandwich them.
- Do not overbake; pull the cookies when the edges just start to turn light golden.
- Let the raspberry chia jam cool and thicken before spreading, or it will run.
- Dust the top cookies with powdered sugar before you sandwich them, so the sugar stays pretty and does not melt into the jam.
- Use a light hand with the jam; too much filling will squish out the sides.
- If the dough cracks while you roll it, press it back together with your fingers and chill it a few more minutes.
- Bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven for the most even color.
How to Make Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Cook the raspberry chia jam
Add raspberries, maple syrup or honey, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Set the pan over medium heat and stir as the berries start to release their juices. Mash the raspberries with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with a few chunks.
Let the mixture bubble gently for 5 to 7 minutes, and stir often so it does not scorch. Turn the heat to low if it splatters too much. When the mixture looks slightly thick and glossy, remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the chia seeds and vanilla extract. Mix well so the chia seeds spread evenly. Let the jam sit at room temperature 15 to 20 minutes so it thickens, then taste and add a touch more sweetener if you like.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt, and cinnamon. Break up any clumps of almond flour with the whisk. Set the bowl aside near your mixer.
Step 3: Cream butter and sugar
In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice so everything mixes evenly.
Add the egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat again until the mixture turns creamy and smooth. The mixture should look slightly thicker and pale.
Step 4: Combine wet and dry
Turn the mixer to low speed and add the flour mixture in two additions. Mix just until the dough comes together and no dry streaks of flour remain. If some flour sticks to the sides, finish folding with a rubber spatula.
The dough should feel soft but not sticky. If it feels very sticky, sprinkle in 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of flour and fold again. Shape the dough into a flat disk with your hands.
Step 5: Chill the dough
Wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap or a reusable wrap. Place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. Chilling helps the butter firm up and keeps the heart shapes sharp.
If you chill the dough longer than 1 hour, let it sit on the counter 5 to 10 minutes before rolling. Slightly softened dough rolls more easily and cracks less. While the dough chills, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 6: Roll and cut the hearts
Unwrap the dough and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll it out to about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick. Rotate the dough a quarter turn every few rolls so it stays even.
Peel off the top sheet of parchment. Use the larger heart cookie cutter to cut as many hearts as you can. Gently transfer the hearts to the lined baking sheets, and leave a little space between each cookie.
Gather the scraps, press them into a disk, and roll again. Cut more hearts until you use all the dough. If the dough softens too much and sticks, slide the parchment with the dough onto a baking sheet and chill 10 minutes, then cut again.
Step 7: Cut the “window” hearts
Count the hearts on your baking sheets and pick half of them to become the tops. Use the tiny heart cutter to cut a small heart from the center of each “top” cookie. Pull away the tiny center hearts and place them on a separate spot on the baking sheet.
You can bake the tiny hearts as bonus mini cookies. They make cute snacks or toppers for ice cream or yogurt. Chill the cut cookies in the fridge 10 to 15 minutes while you heat the oven.
Step 8: Bake the cookies
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack for 9 to 12 minutes, until the edges look just lightly golden and the centers look set. The tiny heart cutouts will bake faster, so check them at 7 to 8 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Let the cookies cool on the tray 5 minutes so they firm up. Transfer the cookies to the wire rack and let them cool completely.
Step 9: Assemble the Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies
When the cookies and raspberry chia jam both feel cool, set the solid hearts on your work surface. Dust the “window” hearts with powdered sugar using a fine mesh sieve. This keeps the tops neat and pretty.
Spoon about ½ teaspoon of raspberry chia jam onto the center of each solid heart. Spread it gently, and leave a small border around the edge. Place a powdered sugar “window” heart on top and press very lightly until the jam reaches the edges.
Repeat with all the cookies. If any jam squishes out, wipe the sides gently with a clean finger or small offset spatula. Let the assembled Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies sit 10 minutes so the jam settles.
Variations I’ve Tried
Use strawberry or mixed berry chia jam instead of raspberry for a softer, sweeter flavor. Swap half the almond flour with finely ground hazelnuts for a nutty twist that tastes almost like chocolate pairs with it, even without cocoa. Add a tiny pinch of cardamom to the dough for a warm, bakery-style aroma.
Drizzle a little melted dark chocolate over the tops instead of powdered sugar for a richer dessert cookie. Cut the cookies into circles or scalloped shapes if you do not have heart cutters. Make a citrus version by stirring a little orange or lemon zest into the dough and the jam.
How to Serve Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies
Serve Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies on a pretty plate with a pot of hot tea, cocoa, or your favorite coffee. Pack them in small boxes or tins with parchment layers for gifts, and tuck in a handwritten note. Add a few fresh raspberries on the side if you serve them on a dessert board with other cookies and fruit.
Kids love the tiny heart cutouts, so pile those into a small bowl as “cookie confetti.” I also like one of these cookies with a bowl of vanilla yogurt as a not-so-serious dessert.
How to store
- Store Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Keep them in the fridge up to 5 days if your kitchen runs warm or humid.
- Freeze unfilled cookies in a zip-top bag or airtight container up to 2 months, with parchment between layers.
- Freeze the raspberry chia jam in a small container up to 1 month, then thaw in the fridge and stir before using.
- Assemble frozen cookies after they thaw at room temperature, so they stay crisp.
- If the cookies soften, warm them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes, then cool before serving.
Raspberry Chia Jam Heart-Shaped Linzer Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook the raspberries and sugar, stirring and gently mashing, until the berries break down and the mixture begins to bubble, 5–7 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in the chia seeds and lemon juice, and let stand 10–15 minutes to thicken. Cool completely before using.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into two disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to about 1/8‑inch thickness.
- Using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets.
- Roll and cut the second disk of dough the same way, then use a smaller heart cutter to cut out a window in the center of half of the cookies to form the tops.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack.
- Dust the cut-out (top) cookies generously with powdered sugar.
- Spread about 1 teaspoon of raspberry chia jam onto each solid heart (bottom) cookie, leaving a small border around the edge.
- Gently place a dusted top cookie over each jam-covered bottom cookie to form sandwiches, pressing lightly so the jam shows through the heart-shaped window.
- Let the cookies sit for 15–20 minutes so the jam sets slightly before serving or storing in an airtight container.
Notes
Approximate per 1 assembled cookie (about 24 cookies total): 150 calories; fat 8 g; saturated fat 3.5 g; carbohydrates 17 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 8 g; protein 2 g; sodium 40 mg. Values will vary based on exact ingredients, brands, and cookie size.
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