Video/Recipe: Coconut Date Linzer Cookie

coconut flour linzer tart, date linzer tart

Now that I am proficient in grain-free roll out cookie dough, I learned another recipe for an even better version! This is adapted from my husband’s grandmother’s famous butter dough. We call it Bella’s Muerbe Teig. That is German for butter dough. She used this dough for her famous apple cake (which I will not attempt just yet) and also for cookies. Since it is that time of the season, let’s make some fun linzer cookies with a grain-free and dairy-free adaptation of this dough!

A Linzertorte is a tart made of a rich buttery dough accentuated by almonds, lemon zest, and cinnamon.  The tart is traditionally filled with black currant preserves and topped with a lattice crust.  It originated in Linz, Austria in the 1600′s. Introduced to American in the 1800′s, raspberry has replaced black currant as the jam of choice.  Linzertortes are a traditional European Christmas pastry, a custom that is now enjoyed in the US.

Linzer cookies are made from the same recipe as the Linzertorte but instead the dough is cut into cookies and two of them form a sandwich for the preserves.  Additionally, the top cookie has a small cutout in its center (known as Linzer eyes), thus exposing the underlying jam. This makes it more tempting.  The traditional cutout is circular, however, all sorts of shapes, are also used.

If you cannot find the special cookie cutters for making linzer cookies, all you really need are two circles of different sizes.

 Coconut Date Linzer Cookie

Ingredients for dough

1/4 pound butter or 1/2 cup of ghee, softened

1 egg (pastured if possible)

1/4 cup honey (where to buy raw honey)

3/4 – 1 cup coconut flour (where to buy high quality coconut flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

lemon zest from 1/2 medium organic lemon

Ingredients for filling

10 Medjool dates

Instructions for dough

  • With a hand held electric beater, blend together the softened butter or ghee and the honey
  • Add the egg and beat to make a soft batter
  • Mix in the flour in small increments. You want it to be soft and pliable
  • Mix in the lemon zest and baking soda with the flour
  • The dough should be soft but pliable
  • Make 2 discs out of the dough and wrap in clear wrap
  • Refrigerate for 10 minutes (this is optional. Just be sure the dough is room temperature when you are ready to use it)
  • Prepare a floured surface (or tape parchment paper to the table and flour it)
  • Place the disc back on the surface and roll out until it is about 1/4″ thick (it helps to cover with clear wrap or parchment paper when rolling)
  • Use cookie cutters that are made for making linzer cookies, i.e. that have a cutout for the top cookie
  • Cut equal amounts of top and bottom cookies and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
  • Brush the top cookies with the white of an egg (optional)
  • Bake at 350 degrees F for 7 – 9 minutes
  • Let cool

Instructions for Filling

  • Cut the dates in half, remove the pit and soak for a least 1/2 hour to soften
  • In a small processor puree the dates as smooth as possible and set aside

Putting It All Together

  • Line up your bottom cookies and turn bottom side up
  • Using a small spatula, gently wipe about a teaspoon of the filling onto the cookie
  • Gently cover with the top cookie
  • This recipe yielded 1 1/2 dozen filled cookies

This post is shared at: Sugar-Free Sunday, Sunday School, Monday Mania, Barnyard Hop, Homemaker Monday, Real Food 101, Meatless Monday, Melt in Mouth Monday, Traditional Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday Tidbits, Hearth & Soul Hop, Tasty Tuesday, Made From Scratch Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, What’s Cooking Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, Sustainable Ways, Healthy 2Day, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Mommy Club, What’s Cooking Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Full Plate Thursday, Simple Lives Thursday, Creative Juice Thursday, Pennywise platter, Fresh Bites Friday, Freaky Friday, Fight Back Friday, Friday Food


  • Cylkev

    these look really good, look forward to trying them.

  • Victoria

    I so appreciate all your videos… they help so much!
    Thank you!

  • http://www.ournourishingroots.com Kendahl @ Our Nourishing Roots

    Okay, seriously?!  This looks completely awesome, and just my kind of flavors.  Plus they look beautiful!  (And I’m still not done geeking-out about your Pecan-Crusted Pumpkin Pie.)

  • Christie

    These look good.  I have some questions about the date filling.  Do you soak the dates in warm water, or hot or cold?  Or maybe that doesn’t matter?  And do you use the water in the puree, or just the dates?  If so, how much water?  Thanks!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Kendahl,
    We must have the same taste buds as I love all your recipes!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Christie,
    I soak the dates in room temperature water that comes out of my water filter. I don’t think it really matters. They get soft regardless. I then drain then water out just using my hands — a little water in it is fine. Then I process in the mini processor to a paste.

  • Raj @ Flipcookbook

    Oh yum. I’ve never used ghee to make cookies so I’m really looking forward to trying these out soon. Thanks for sharing at this week’s Sugar Free Sunday!!

  • http://www.wellfedhomestead.com Brenda

    Great job, Jill! I am super excited to try this recipe! I have all of the ingredients, so I might just try them with my kiddos today! :)

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Brenda!
    Please let me know how it turns out!

  • http://twitter.com/mnuffins Meagan

    I’ve never tried grain free and “sugar” free cookies because usually they just don’t turn out… either the grain is needed or the sugar is needed for both browning and chew. BUT I’ve been seeing a couple really good grain free sugar cookie recipes out there so I think I am just gonna try it. Your’s looks great! Really pretty. Also it was fab meeting you at the conference!

  • Christie

    Thank you for answering.  I realized that the video probably showed this, but I didn’t watch it because of our internet connection. 

  • Victoria Rockcliffe

    These look good!

  • Amee

    Hi, I am now following you from Madame Deals please come and visit my site and enter to win over $2000 in prizes including $250 in apple giftcards.
    Thank youAmee

  • Mhilton05

    Your cookies are picture perfect.  Great work.  I would love for you to share your tallents at Bacon Time. Linky is fri-monday.

    http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/2011/11/christmas-tree-craft.html

  • http://twitter.com/apriljharris April Harris

    Linzer cookies are one of my absolute favourites, but I have only ever had the with raspberry jam before. I do love dates, and I think your cookies sound wonderful, especially with the coconut. Thank you for sharing your recipe and video with the Hearth and Soul hop. 

  • winnie rottem

    Beautiful cookies. These are one of my favorites
    Thank you so much for the video!:)

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Meagan,
    It was great to meet you too! I’ve been seeing your avatar a lot lately now that I know you!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Winnie,
    Thank you. I hope it helps!

  • Jen

    Already pinned this to Pinterest!  Can’t wait to make these!

  • ButterYum

    These cookies are so darn cute – really adorable.
    :)
    ButterYum

  • Miz Helen

    Jill, I was just talking to Amy Green at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free and we both think this is a great cookie recipe. Your Coconut Date Linzer Cookies look delicious!  Hope you are having a great week end and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.

    Come Back Soon!

    Miz Helen

  • http://realfoodforager.com/2011/12/sunday-snippets-december-4-2011/ Sunday Snippets: December 4, 2011 — Real Food Forager

    [...] Coconut Date Linzer Cookies. Labor intensive, but so worth it! [...]

  • Srl7698

    Do you know if there is an SCD legal egg replacement that would work for this recipe?  Thank you for a wonderful blog!

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Sri,
    Here is an egg replacer that is SCD legal however I have not used it in any recipe. Please let me know how it works if you use it!

    Recipe:
    1 egg = 1 tsp gelatin, 3 Tbs cold water and 7 tsp boiling water
    2 eggs= 2 tsp gelatin, 1/3 C. cold water and 1/2 C boiling Water
    3 eggs= 1 Tbs gelatin, 1/2 C. cold water and 1/2 C Boiling water

    Before Baking:
    1. Place, cold water in bowl
    2. Sprinkle gelatin to soften. Mix thoroughly with spoon.
    3. Add boiling water until desolved.
    4. Place in freezer to thicken while mixing cake or cookies or refrigerate
        (refrigeration takes a little longer)
    5. When time to add eggs, take thickened gelatin from freezer or
    refrigerator and beat until it’s frothy.. <———- THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT!!
    6. Add to recipe instead of eggs.

  • Shannon

    Slightly late, but thank you so much for linking up to Friday Food last week on Momtrends.com!  I love linzer cookies, my mom makes them every Christmas!  ~Shannon

  • Mindy

    I would like to try these, but need to use the ghee instead of butter.  I’m confused by your measurements, though.  1/4 lb of butter is 1/2 cup – why would you need twice as much ghee for the recipe to work?

  • http://www.gapalicious.com/2011/12/13/gaps-christmas-cookie-recipe-round-up/ GAPS Christmas Cookie Recipe Round Up | Gapalicious

    [...] Real Food Forager’s Coconut Date Linzer Cookies [...]

  • http://www.wellfedhomestead.com/coconut-flour-snickerdoodles Coconut Flour Snickerdoodles | The Well Fed Homestead

    [...] this video for Jill’s Coconut Date Linzer Cookies! Jill is a chiropractor in NY, and met her at WAPF this year–a VERY nice [...]

  • http://realfoodforager.com/2011/12/recipe-grain-free-holiday-roll-out-cookies-scdgaps/ Recipe: Grain-Free Holiday Roll Out Cookies (SCD/GAPS) — Real Food Forager

    [...] the video for the linzer cookie recipe to see how the dough is made. All the instructions are the same except you use holiday cookie [...]

  • http://www.mommypotamus.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-gaps-holiday-recipes/ The Ultimate Guide to GAPS Holiday Recipes « The Mommypotamus

    [...] the recipe here. Photo courtesy of Health Home & [...]

  • guest

    how about adding some coconut oil or butter to the date paste?

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    Hi Guest,
    I never thought to do that but I guess it could work as long as it doesn’t make it too thin.

  • guest

    I guess I’m just trying to find ways to add extra fat especially with sweet things :-)

  • http://realfoodforager.com Jill

    It’s a good idea and probably would taste great!

  • http://profiles.google.com/skydisco3 Sarah Smith

    Hi Jill,
    In the video, you say it has 1 cup of butter or ghee, but the recipe ingredients say 1/2 cup.  Which is correct?  Can’t wait to try these!

  • Jill

    Hi Sarah,
    It should be 1/2 cup of ghee. The video was corrected with an annotation. Please let me know how it goes!

  • http://realfoodforager.com/2011/12/top-10-posts-of-2011-at-real-food-forager/ Top 10 Posts of 2011 At Real Food Forager — Real Food Forager

    [...] Video/Recipe: Coconut Date Linzer Cookies [...]