Pumpkin Linzer Cookies are a festive twist on the traditional jam-filled classic. With a buttery almond flour dough spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice, these cookies are tender, flavorful, and filled with rich pumpkin butter. Their little cut-out “windows” dusted with powdered sugar make them as pretty as they are delicious.
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These pumpkin cookies are way easier than they look. The dough mixes up quickly, chills in the fridge, and bakes into delicate cookies that are sturdy enough to sandwich. A light dusting of powdered sugar adds that extra touch of holiday charm.
Perfect for Thanksgiving dessert platters, Halloween cookie boxes, or adding some cozy sweetness to your weekend coffee break, these Pumpkin Linzer Cookies always impress. They’re a seasonal upgrade to a nostalgic cookie that never goes out of style.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter – If you use salted butter, don’t add extra salt.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg – Large or extra large is fine.
- Vanilla extract – I use artificial vanilla extract and the flavor is just fine.
- All-purpose flour
- Almond flour – Look for fine or extra fine ground almond flour. This helps give the dough some structure.
- Cinnamon – Use freshly ground for the best flavor.
- Ground ginger – Use powdered ginger, not fresh ginger.
- Nutmeg – I keep whole nutmeg on hand and then microplane it when I need it.
- Pumpkin spice – I buy fresh pumpkin spice each fall so that it’s got the best flavor.
- Salt
- Pumpkin butter – You can buy pumpkin butter with the seasonal baking products, or make your own.
- Powdered sugar – For decorating.
How to Make Pumpkin Linzer Cookies
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Beat softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer with paddle attachment until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a flex-edge spatula here. It hugs the bowl and makes sure no butter or sugar gets stuck on the sides, which means a smoother dough.
Stir in the flour, almond flour, and spices. I use a silicone spatula at this stage because the dough starts to come together, and a spatula is gentler than the mixer—it keeps the dough tender without overworking it.
Whisk flour, almond flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in a small bowl to combine. Stir the mixture into the wet ingredients until a dough forms.
Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. A spouted prep bowl makes it easy to transfer and wrap without flour spilling everywhere.
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to ⅛-inch thickness. Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter for the shapes. For half, cut a small pumpkin “window” in the center.
Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes. Let them cool completely on a cooling rack before filling.
Spread pumpkin butter on the solid cookies. Top with cut-out cookies to sandwich. Dust with powdered sugar using a fine sieve for a pretty finish.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Chill the dough long enough; it makes cutting and baking much easier.
- Swap pumpkin butter for apple butter or your favorite spiced jam.
- If the dough softens while working, just pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Use a small sieve for powdered sugar to get that delicate snow-like effect.
REcommended
Make It a Meal
These cookies shine on a holiday dessert platter alongside pecan bars, chocolate bark, or mini cheesecakes. Pair them with hot apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte for the ultimate fall treat.
Storage
Keep assembled cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To prep ahead, bake and cool the cookies, then fill and decorate just before serving for the best texture.
Pumpkin Linzer Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup pumpkin butter
- powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until smooth and fully combined.
- Stir in the flour, almond flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, and salt until the dough comes together.
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about ⅛-inch thick. Cut out pumpkin shapes, making small window cutouts in half of them.
- Bake the cookies for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Spread pumpkin butter on the solid cookies, top with the cut-out cookies to create sandwiches, and finish with a dusting of powdered sugar.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Chill the dough long enough—it makes cutting and baking much easier.
- Swap pumpkin butter for apple butter or your favorite spiced jam.
- If the dough softens while working, just pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Use a small sieve for powdered sugar to get that delicate snow-like effect.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.