Chocolate Caramel Linzer Cookies are delicate chocolate sandwich cookies made with a buttery cocoa dough and filled with sweet, chewy caramel for a rich and elegant treat. The dough is rolled thin and cut with a Linzer cookie cutter to create charming sandwich cookies ready to hold your caramel.
Making our Linzer cookie recipe combines rich chocolate dough with smooth, buttery caramel for a balanced treat. You’ll create a simple caramel by melting sugar carefully, then whisking in butter and cream to achieve a glossy, sweet filling. This homemade caramel adds a fresh depth that enhances every bite! Enjoy a classic treat with a twist, perfect for sharing or savoring yourself.
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
Ingredients for Linzer Cookies
Butter: Use 1 ½ cup of butter for this cookie dough. This is three full sticks so I find it’s best to use unsalted butter so the cookies don’t end up too salty.
Sugar: Adding ½ cup granulated sugar makes these cookies nice and sweet.
Egg: 1 egg is the perfect amount needed for the binder in this recipe so the cookies hold together well.
Milk: Give the dough some moisture by adding 2 TBSP of milk.
Flour: You need 2 cups of flour for the structural base of this cookie dough.
Cocoa Powder: 2 TBSP cocoa powder will give the cookies wonderful chocolate flavor.
Extract: With 1 TBSP of vanilla extract, these cookies will taste great.
Salt: A pinch of sea salt will help to enhance and bring out the flavors in this cookie recipe.
Baking Powder: Help the cookies rise as they bake with ¾ tsp of baking powder.
Caramel sauce: Combine 2 TBSP butter, ½ cup of sugar, and 3 TBSP of heavy cream, to create a rich tasting and shiny topping.
Tips for making Chocolate Caramel Cookies
Full instructions are in the recipe card below, but here are a few tips for a successful batch of cookies!
To get the right caramel consistency watch the sugar closely as it melts. It should turn a rich amber color without burning. Once you add butter and cream, whisk quickly to blend smoothly. Let the caramel cool for 10-15 minutes before filling to avoid it running off the cookies.
Use parchment paper when rolling out your dough. This prevents sticking and allows you to roll the dough evenly to 3-4mm thickness.
When cutting cookies, press your cutter firmly and lift straight up without twisting. Twisting can distort the shapes, causing uneven baking.
How to store Linzer cookies with caramel
Keep your cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies will last bout 5-7 days and always taste best about 2-3 days after baking. This is when the caramel is set and the cookies are a bit softened so they’re so much easier to eat and enjoy. Yum!
Chocolate Caramel Linzer Cookies Recipe
Chocolate Caramel Linzer Cookies are delicate chocolate sandwich cookies made with a buttery cocoa dough and filled with sweet, chewy caramel for a rich and elegant treat.
Start by making your caramel sauce, pour the sugar into a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat, whisking the sugar until melted. The sugar will clump up first, but will eventually completely melt/caramelize.
Once the sugar has melted, stop whisking. Remove caramel from the heat. Add the butter and whisk until combined.
Slowly pour the heavy cream into the caramel and whisk until incorporated. Cool for about 10-15 minutes before using.
Get the oven preheating to 350°F degrees.
In a large bowl beat the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and milk with an electric mixer until creamy.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, sea salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, mixing in between additions.
Encase the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 3-4 mm thick.
Use a Linzer cookie cutter or a cookie cutter of your choice to cut out the solid bottoms. Transfer them to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until you've cut 12-15 solid shapes.
Next, you'll cut the cookie tops, which, instead of being solid, have a cut-out shape (where the caramel is going to go). You can either bake the cut-outs as mini cookies, or you can combine the dough and roll out additional cookies, making sure to have a top & bottom for each whole cookie.
Bake in a preheated oven for 6-8 minutes. Let cool 1-2 minutes on pan, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Fill the cookies with caramel, position top & bottom of cookies with the flat side positioned into the center. Pick up the top and spoon 1 tsp caramel onto bottom of cookie, directly into the center, where the cut out will go. Place the top of the cookie onto the caramel, so that most fills the cutout, but just enough is also on the underside of the cookie as to securely attach the cookie sandwich together.
Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve & enjoy!
Notes
These Linzer cookies will stay fresh for up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can safely freeze caramel filled cookies. I recommend keeping the cookies layered in an airtight container with parchment or wax paper between each to prevent sticking. To eat, place cookies on the counter and allow them to come to room temperature so that the caramel I easier to bite into. The caramel may “sweat” as it thaws, this is natural.
How can you prevent caramel from crystallizing when making cookies?
To avoid crystallization, use a heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir constantly while melting the sugar. Adding a small amount of water at the beginning can help dissolve the sugar evenly.
Incorporate butter and cream gradually after the sugar has fully melted to stabilize the caramel. Avoid stirring once the sugar has caramelized, and cool the caramel slowly.
What are some tips for incorporating nuts into Linzer cookies?
Chop nuts finely and toast them lightly to bring out their flavor before adding them to the dough. Fold nuts in gently during the last mixing stage to avoid overworking the dough.
You can also sprinkle chopped nuts on top of the caramel for extra crunch.
Try more holiday cookie recipes here:
These Marbled Christmas Cookies are sugar cookies decorated with swirled royal icing, giving them a festive and eye-catching marbled finish.
Linzer Cookies are buttery, tender sandwich cookies filled with sweet jam, creating a perfect balance of rich flavor and fruity sweetness. Their festive cutout design makes them as beautiful as they are delicious.
Our recipe for Peppermint White Chocolate Chip Cookies results in chewy treats filled with refreshing peppermint flavor and sweet white chocolate chips, making them a festive favorite for the holidays.
Almond Drop Cookies are simple, buttery cookies with a rich nutty flavor, made easily with everyday pantry ingredients.
Loaded with cocoa mix, chocolate chips, candy canes, and marshmallow bits, these Hot Cocoa Cookies capture all the cozy flavors of a warm cup of hot chocolate.
Chocolate Caramel Linzer Cookies are rich, chocolatey sandwich cookies filled with a gooey caramel center, making them an indulgent and irresistible treat.
ABOUT US
I began Family Cookie Recipes to delve deeper into my fascination with food! I love cooking easy, delicious recipes and trying out new products. Welcome and I hope you stick around! Meet Jessica & Nellie...
Absolutely delicious! I’ve had this before with jam inside vanilla cookies. This is a brilliant variation and dare I say better than the original. I’m going to add them to my holiday baking list. SO so good.
Sam says
These cookies were delicious! Can’t wait to make them again!
Lisalia says
Absolutely delicious! I’ve had this before with jam inside vanilla cookies. This is a brilliant variation and dare I say better than the original. I’m going to add them to my holiday baking list. SO so good.
Diana says
Such a cute coookie recipe! I would love to make these for my daughter’s next tea party.