Linzertorte is the Austrian classic — a spiced hazelnut-almond crust with a lattice top over a jewel-bright layer of raspberry jam. Lemon zest, cinnamon, and allspice perfume the nutty dough while the jam bubbles up golden between the strips. Ten to twelve slices of festive, fragrant baking.
SERVES 10 TO 12 (MAKES ONE ELEVEN-INCH TART)
Ingredients
Tart Dough
1 cup (240 ml) hazelnuts, toasted
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
½ cup palm sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon (5 ml) grated fresh lemon zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ cup almond flour
¾ cup coconut flour
12 tablespoons (180 ml) coconut oil, cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
1 large egg
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
Filling
1¼ cups paleo raspberry jam (page 221)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut milk
Palm sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Preparation
1.В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2.В В Pulse the nuts, palm sugar, and salt together in a food processor until very finely ground (about 18 pulses). Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, and allspice and pulse to combine. Add the flour and pulse again to combine. Scatter the coconut oil pieces over the top and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (about 15 pulses).
3.В В In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla together. With the food processor running, add the egg mixture to the nut mixture through the feed tube, then continue to pulse until the dough forms a large ball (about 10 pulses).
4.В В Divide dough into two equal parts. Tear one piece of the dough into walnut-size pieces and then pat it into an eleven-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing it up the sides of the pan. Lay plastic wrap over the dough and smooth out any bumps using the palm of your hand. Set the tart pan on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes.
5.В В Roll the second piece of dough into a twelve-inch square between two large sheets of floured parchment paper. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm (about 15 minutes). Remove the top layer of parchment and trim the edges of the dough, then cut into ten three-quarter-inch wide strips (you will have extra dough). Cover parchment and freeze until firm (about 20 minutes).
6.В В Set the tart pan on a large baking sheet. Bake until the tart shell is golden brown and set (about 30 minutes), rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack. Let the tart shell cool on the baking sheet while making the filling.
7.В В Stir the raspberry jam and lemon juice together, then spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the cooled tart shell. Remove the dough strips from the freezer, loosen the parchment on the top, then invert and loosen the other piece of parchment. Create a big X in the center of the tart using two strips of dough. Continue to lay eight more strips of dough on the tart to form a lattice. Press the ends of the strips against the rim of the tart pan to trim.
TO FORM LATTICE PATTERN: The dough will be too soft to weave, but you can still create the illusion of a woven crust with this method
•   Crisscross two strips of dough to form an X over the center of the tart.
•   Place four strips around the edges parallel to the central strips (looks like a box around the edge, with ends overlapping).
•   Place the final four strips on the tart between the center X and outer strips (overlap the ends).
•   Press the excess dough against the rim of the pan to trim.
1.В В Gently brush the lattice strips with the coconut milk and sprinkle with the palm sugar (if desired). Bake the tart on the baking sheet until the crust is a deep golden brown (about 50 minutes), rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
2.В В Let the tart(s) cool completely on the baking sheet (about two and a half hours). To serve, remove the outer metal ring of the tart pan, slide a thin metal spatula between the tart and tart pan bottom, and carefully slide the tart onto a serving platter or cutting board.
Making the Tart(s) Ahead
The tart dough can be divided into two pieces, wrapped separately in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to one month. Let the refrigerated or frozen dough sit on the counter until very soft before using. Once baked and cooled, the tart can be wrapped loosely with plastic wrap and held at room temperature for up to one day before serving.
Pro Tips
- Grind the hazelnuts and almonds very finely — coarse nut meal makes the lattice strips crumble when you lift them onto the tart.
- Freeze the cut lattice strips until firm before laying them. Frozen strips hold their shape and give you a neat, bakery-style lattice without tearing.
- The dough is too soft to weave properly, so use the illusion method — crisscross strips for the classic look without the fuss of true weaving.
- Cool the tart completely — about two and a half hours. The jam layer stays molten for a long time and a warm torte falls apart when sliced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different jam?
Raspberry is traditional and its tartness balances the sweet, spiced dough. Apricot or blackcurrant both work beautifully too.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes — the wrapped dough keeps two days in the fridge and a month frozen. Let it soften slightly before shaping the shell and strips.
Why did my lattice strips break?
Warm dough. Chill the rolled sheet before cutting and freeze the strips — firm dough is the only way to get clean transfers.
How do I store linzertorte?
Room temperature, loosely covered, for up to a day. The flavours deepen overnight and the jam layer sets beautifully.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. 2. В В Pulse the nuts, palm sugar, and salt together in a food processor until very finely ground (about 18 pulses).
- Add the lemon zest, cinnamon, and allspice and pulse to combine.
- Add the flour and pulse again to combine. Scatter the coconut oil pieces over the top and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal (about 15 pulses). 3. В В In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla together. With the food processor running, add the egg mixture to the nut mixture through the feed tube, then continue to pulse until the dough forms a large ball (about 10 pulses). 4. В В Divide dough into two equal parts. Tear one piece of the dough into walnut-size pieces and then pat it into an eleven-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, pressing it up the sides of the pan. Lay plastic wrap over the dough and smooth out any bumps using the palm of your hand.
- Set the tart pan on a large plate and freeze for 30 minutes. 5. В В Roll the second piece of dough into a twelve-inch square between two large sheets of floured parchment paper.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm (about 15 minutes).
- Remove the top layer of parchment and trim the edges of the dough, then cut into ten three-quarter-inch wide strips (you will have extra dough).
- Cover parchment and freeze until firm (about 20 minutes). 6. В В Set the tart pan on a large baking sheet.
- Bake until the tart shell is golden brown and set (about 30 minutes), rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack.
- Let the tart shell cool on the baking sheet while making the filling. 7. В В Stir the raspberry jam and lemon juice together, then spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the cooled tart shell.
- Remove the dough strips from the freezer, loosen the parchment on the top, then invert and loosen the other piece of parchment. Create a big X in the center of the tart using two strips of dough.
- Continue to lay eight more strips of dough on the tart to form a lattice. Press the ends of the strips against the rim of the tart pan to trim. TO FORM LATTICE PATTERN: The dough will be too soft to weave, but you can still create the illusion of a woven crust with this method •   Crisscross two strips of dough to form an X over the center of the tart. •   Place four strips around the edges parallel to the central strips (looks like a box around the edge, with ends overlapping). •   Place the final four strips on the tart between the center X and outer strips (overlap the ends). •   Press the excess dough against the rim of the pan to trim. 1.   Gently brush the lattice strips with the coconut milk and sprinkle with the palm sugar (if desired).
- Bake the tart on the baking sheet until the crust is a deep golden brown (about 50 minutes), rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking. 2. В В Let the tart(s) cool completely on the baking sheet (about two and a half hours). To serve, remove the outer metal ring of the tart pan, slide a thin metal spatula between the tart and tart pan bottom, and carefully slide the tart onto a serving platter or cutting board. Making the Tart(s) Ahead The tart dough can be divided into two pieces, wrapped separately in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to one month.
- Let the refrigerated or frozen dough sit on the counter until very soft before using.
- Once baked and cooled, the tart can be wrapped loosely with plastic wrap and held at room temperature for up to one day before serving.
