Linzertorte
In its own language: Linzer Torte
Austrian shortcrust pastry with fruit preserves and a lattice top
Linzertorte is a crumbly Austrian pastry from Linz, made with ground nuts, butter, flour, egg yolks, lemon zest, cinnamon, and filled with fruit preserves. It is topped with a lattice of dough and sliced nuts, and is especially popular during Christmas in Austria and nearby regions.
- Named after the Austrian city of Linz
- Earliest known recipe dates to 1653
- Traditionally made with hazelnuts and redcurrant jam
- Topped with a lattice of pastry strips
- Popular at Christmas in Austria and nearby countries
What is Linzertorte?
Linzertorte is a pastry with a crumbly, shortcrust base made from flour, butter, egg yolks, lemon zest, cinnamon, and ground nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, or almonds. The filling is usually a layer of fruit preserves, often redcurrant, raspberry, or apricot. A lattice of thin dough strips is laid over the jam, and the top is brushed with egg white and garnished with nuts. The result is a single-layer tart or pie, with a rich, nutty flavor and a sweet, fruity center.
Where does Linzertorte come from?
Named for the Austrian city of Linz, Linzertorte is considered one of the oldest cakes named after a place. The earliest known recipe dates to 1653, found in an archive at Admont Abbey. Earlier, a 1696 recipe in Vienna was thought to be the oldest. The cake’s invention is surrounded by legends, including claims about a Viennese confectioner named Linzer and the pastry chef Johann Konrad Vogel, who began mass production in Linz in the early 1800s.
How is Linzertorte made?
To make Linzertorte, a dough is prepared from flour, butter, egg yolks, lemon zest, cinnamon, and ground nuts. This dough forms the base and sides of a tart pan. A layer of fruit preserves is spread over the base, and strips of the same dough are arranged in a lattice pattern on top. The lattice and edges are brushed with lightly beaten egg white and sprinkled with sliced nuts before baking.
How and when is Linzertorte eaten?
Linzertorte is often served as a treat during Christmas, but it is also enjoyed throughout the year with tea or as a snack. In Austria and neighboring countries, it is a familiar sight at holiday tables. Some bakeries, especially in North America, make smaller versions as tarts or cookies. The Linzer cookie is a related sandwich biscuit with a cut-out showing the jam, dusted with sugar.
Kinds of Linzertorte
While the classic Linzertorte uses hazelnuts and redcurrant jam, other nuts like walnuts or almonds and preserves such as raspberry or apricot are also common. Linzer cookies, or Linzer Augen, are a popular variation, made as sandwich cookies with a circular cut-out revealing the jam. These are often dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
What Linzertorte means
Linzertorte holds a special place in Austrian and Central European holiday traditions, especially at Christmas. Its long history and connection to Linz make it a symbol of regional pride. The pastry’s recipe is widely known, and its distinctive lattice top is instantly recognizable. It is also noted for being among the oldest cakes named after a city.
When Linzertorte is on the table
Questions people ask about Linzertorte
What is Linzertorte made of?
Linzertorte is made from a shortcrust pastry with flour, butter, egg yolks, lemon zest, cinnamon, and ground nuts, filled with fruit preserves such as redcurrant, raspberry, or apricot.
Where does Linzertorte come from?
Linzertorte comes from Linz, a city in Austria, and is considered one of the oldest cakes named after a place.
When is Linzertorte usually eaten?
It is especially popular during Christmas in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic, but can also be enjoyed year-round.
What does Linzertorte look like?
It is a single-layer tart with a crumbly nutty crust, a layer of fruit preserves, and a lattice of pastry strips on top, often garnished with nuts.
Are there variations of Linzertorte?
Yes, some versions use different nuts or jams, and Linzer cookies are a related sandwich cookie with a jam filling and a cut-out top.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Linzertorte", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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