Matcha, Memory, and Holidays: Linzer Christmas Tree Cookies with Cranberry-Orange Jam
A quiet holiday bake inspired by time in Japan, old traditions, and a dusting of powdered sugar snow
“Up in the Mountaintop Kitchen, we’re turning classic Linzer cookies into a holiday showstopper. These buttery matcha cookies bake up soft and pale green, then get filled with jewel-toned cranberry–orange jam and finished with a snowfall of powdered sugar. Elegant, festive, and quietly bold—just the way I like my Christmas cookies”
—Stone 👨🏼🍳
(Note: Interactive YouTube elements such as subscribe buttons, recipe end cards, etc. only display if you click “Watch on YouTube.”)
👨🏼🍳 A Christmas Cookie with a Passport
Christmas baking has always been about memory for me: the rituals we return to year after year and the scents that tell us the season has arrived before the calendar ever does. In my grandmother’s East Detroit kitchen, December meant butter-softened on the counter, powdered sugar drifting through the air, and trays of cookies lining every available surface. Those early Christmas traditions taught me that cookies aren’t just sweets; they’re markers of time, proof that the holidays are here and that we’re exactly where we’re supposed to be.
🍵 When Matcha Entered the Picture
Years later, during a semester teaching in Japan, I became completely enamored with matcha: its quiet bitterness, its ritual, its unmistakable green that feels both grounding and celebratory. Matcha was everywhere: whisked into warm drinks, folded into sweets, offered with intention. That experience reshaped the way I think about flavor and tradition, and ever since, matcha has found its way into my holiday baking back home, bridging old memories with new ones.
🌲 A Linzer Cookie for the Season
These Matcha Linzer Christmas Tree Cookies are where all those traditions meet. A classic European-style sandwich cookie, reimagined through a Japanese lens and filled with jewel-toned cranberry–orange jam because Christmas should always have something bright and tart at its center. The powdered sugar “snow,” the cutout trees, and the quiet elegance of matcha all come together in a cookie that feels both nostalgic and worldly. It’s the kind of bake that asks you to slow down, put on some music, and remember that the best Christmas traditions are the ones we carry with us, wherever we’ve been.
👑 A Thanks to King Arthur Baking Company
Before we bake, I want to share a quick note of gratitude. The base recipe for this matcha cookie dough is adapted from the King Arthur Baking Company, a place that has long been a trusted cornerstone of my baking life. Just a few weeks ago, I had the chance to visit King Arthur in person (see photo below); walking through their space surrounded by flour dust, history, and serious baking knowledge felt like a full-circle moment. As always, I’ve reworked the recipe’s vision through the Mountaintop lens, shaping it into a Christmas Linzer cookie that reflects my own traditions, travels, and table. Credit matters, learning never stops, and the best recipes are always built on the shoulders of generous teachers.
—Stone 👨🏼🍳
So, welcome into our Mountaintop Kitchen, where soft green matcha meets bright cranberry–orange sparkle in a Christmas cookie that tastes like memory, tradition, and a dusting of snow. 🌲🍵
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
Make-ahead friendly – the dough chills beautifully overnight, making holiday baking calmer and more organized
Reliable cutouts – the cookies hold their shape with crisp edges and no spread
Balanced flavor – earthy matcha, bright cranberry–orange jam, and buttery dough keep things elegant, not sweet
Visually stunning – soft green cookies, ruby-red centers, and powdered sugar snow photograph beautifully
Beginner-friendly technique – no fussy steps, no special equipment beyond a stand mixer
Adaptable filling – swap in raspberry, cherry, or orange marmalade if needed
Perfect for gifting – sturdy enough to stack, transport, and share
Tradition with a twist – classic Linzer cookies reimagined for modern holiday tables
The Recipe:
On Measuring Ingredients: My preferred method of measuring is weight by grams. Baking by volume rather than weight can lead to varied and unexpected results. Flour is especially problematic when measured by volume (sifted, not sifted, spooned, not spooned, fluffed or not … you get the point). Grams are always the same; they are your friend as a baker. King Arthur Baking Company’s Ingredients Weight Chart is helpful for converting recipe weights.
On Altitude Adjustments: Before measuring ingredients, preheating your oven, or setting your timer; it’s important to consider any necessary adjustments for baking at higher altitudes, which is generally considered to be 3,500ft and above. Most recipes are written for sea level up to 3,500ft. Take at look at our baking at High-Altitude Baking Adjustments page for guidance.
Note: No high-altitude adjustments are needed for these Linzer Cookies.
Yield / Servings
Serves approx. 13 linzer-style sandwich cookies or 26+ individual cookies
Difficulty Level
Easy–Intermediate (Confident Holiday Cutouts)
Why
This dough is forgiving and stable, making it ideal for clean rolling, cutting, and rerolling without frustration.
Matcha is sifted directly into the sugar, ensuring even color and flavor with no bitterness or streaking.
The cookies barely spread, so your Christmas tree shapes stay sharp and beautifully defined.
Assembly is calm and intentional—dust, fill, sandwich—turning the process into a quiet, festive ritual.
Cranberry–orange jam adds brightness and balance without requiring additional baking or complicated technique.
Skill Builder Note
This recipe builds confidence with classic cutout and sandwich-cookie techniques. You’ll practice managing chilled dough for clean edges, learn how thickness affects texture, and discover why dusting the top cookie before assembly keeps Linzer windows crisp and polished. It’s a thoughtful holiday bake that rewards patience and precision—and proves that elegant Christmas cookies come from simple steps done well.
Equipment Needed
Disclaimer: I make a small commission that helps to pay for recipe development and production costs; you pay the regular Amazon price (USA only). Just click items to go to purchase pages. Thanks!
✔Rolling pin with adjustable thickness rings (for rolling out cookie dough)
✔Stand mixer with paddle (for mixing the dough)
✔KitchenAid 5Qt glass mixing (for budding YouTubers)
✔Portable induction stovetop (for making cranberry-orange compote)
✔Saucepan (2.5 QT for making cranberry-orange compote)
✔Digital kitchen scale (for measuring accurately and easily)
✔Mixing bowls (for dry and wet ingredients separately)
✔Spatulas (rubber/silicone for folding dough and scraping bowls)
✔Cooling racks (to cool cookies evenly)
✔Mesh strainers/sieves (for shifting dry ingredients)
✔Baking sheets ( to bake cookies evenly)
This recipe is a modified version of King Arthur Baking Company’s Matcha Christmas Tree Cookies.
Matcha Cookie Dough
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar (141 g)
1½ tablespoons matcha powder (9 g)
18 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (254 g)
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon table, fine kosher or sea salt
¼ teaspoon lemon extract
or zest of ½ lemon2¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (330 g)
Filling & Finish
Cranberry–orange jam, smooth and thick (about ¾ cup / 180 g)
Note: See our video tutorial above for making homemade jam.
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Cranberry–Orange Jam Filling
1 cup (110 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 tablespoon water
Make the Cranberry–Orange Jam (cool completely)… Store-bought jam is fine
In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, orange juice, zest, and water.
Simmer 7–10 minutes until jammy and bright.
Mash lightly with a spoon.
Cool fully
Make the Dough
Sift the base: In the bowl of a stand mixer, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and matcha powder. This step keeps the color even and prevents bitter pockets of matcha.
Cream gently: Add the butter, egg yolk, salt, and lemon extract (or zest). Mix on low speed until smooth and cohesive, about 2–3 minutes.
We’re not whipping—just bringing everything together.Add the flour: Mix in the flour on low speed until the dough comes together and no dry streaks remain, 1–2 minutes. Take care to not overmix.
Chill: Divide the dough in half (about 375 g each). Shape each portion into a 1-inch-thick slab, wrap well, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Cold dough = clean edges and crisp cutouts.Roll & Cut
Soften slightly: Remove dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature until pliable, 30–60 minutes.
Preheat the oven
Conventional: 325°F (165°C)
Convection: 300°F (150°C)
Position a rack in the center of the oven.Roll: Working with one slab at a time, roll the dough between lightly floured parchment sheets to ¼-inch (6 mm) thickness.
Cut trees
Cut solid Christmas tree shapes for the bottom cookies.
For the top cookies, cut matching trees, then cut a small star or triangle window from the center.
Arrange: Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them closely—they barely spread.
Bake
Bake one tray at a time for 12–14 minutes, until the cookies are set, lightly puffed, and just beginning to color on the bottom edges.
Do not brown—the matcha should stay soft green.
Cool completely on the baking sheets.
Assemble the Linzers
Dust first: Lightly dust the top (windowed) cookies with confectioners’ sugar. This keeps the jam windows clean and sharp.
Fill: Spoon or pipe about 1–1½ teaspoons of cranberry–orange jam onto the flat side of each bottom cookie.
Sandwich: Gently place the sugared tops over the jam, pressing just until the filling reaches the edges.
Storage
Store assembled cookies in a single layer or gently stacked, airtight, for up to 3 days at room temperature or 5 days refrigerated.
Flavor improves overnight as the jam softens the cookie.
Baker’s Notes from the Mountaintop
If your jam is chunky, warm it slightly and strain for a smooth Linzer-style finish.
Matcha varies—use culinary-grade for color without bitterness.
These cookies photograph beautifully against dark plates or parchment with extra powdered sugar “snow.”
Serving Suggestions
Dust with an extra veil of powdered sugar just before serving for a fresh “snowfall” effect.
Arrange on a dark platter or slate board to let the soft green cookies and ruby-red jam pop.
Serve slightly chilled for cleaner bites and a firmer jam center, especially on warm holiday evenings.
Pair with hot green tea, matcha lattes, coffee, or spiced orange tea to echo and balance the flavors.
For gifting, stack with parchment and a sprig of rosemary or dried orange slice for a festive, bakery-worthy presentation.
Nutrition Estimate (1 of 13 linzer sandwich cookies) :
Final values may vary depending on specific ingredients. Nutrition Disclaimer
Calories: ~210–230 kcal | Total Fat: 11–12 g | Saturated Fat: 7 g | Carbohydrates: 27–29 g | Sugars: 14–16 g | Protein: 2–3 g | Fiber: ~1 g | Sodium: ~120 mg
Allergen Notes
Contains: Wheat (gluten), egg
Dairy-Free Option: Can be made dairy-free using a high-fat plant-based butter (such as Miyoko’s or Violife). Expect slightly softer edges and a more delicate cookie.
Vegan Option: Replace butter with plant-based butter and substitute the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon (14 g) aquafaba or a commercial egg replacer designed for baking. Texture will be more tender and less crisp, but still workable for sandwich cookies.
Nut-Free: Naturally nut-free, provided your plant-based butter is nut-free.
Variation Notes
Jam Check: Use a vegan-friendly jam—some commercial jams contain honey or gelatin.
Flavor Swap: Orange zest works beautifully in place of lemon for a warmer, holiday-forward profile.
Matcha Level: For a bolder green color, increase matcha by ½ tablespoon; flavor will deepen slightly.
Gluten-Free: A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour may be used, though dough may require extra chilling and gentler handling.
Make-Ahead: Dough (including vegan versions) freezes well for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling.
Until the Next Bake: Thanks for joining me here at the Mountaintop Kitchen. I’m Stone, and I’ll see you next time with more bakes, more flavors, and more stories from the kitchen. Until then—keep your ovens warm and your aprons tied.
P.S. Love what you’re baking with me? Don’t forget to subscribe to the newsletter for first looks at new recipes, and join the Mountaintop Kitchen YouTube channel to see every swirl, scoop, and sizzle in action! —Stone👨🏼🍳
The Mountaintop Kitchen recipe newsletter is available to everyone. If you like it, please subscribe and/or share it with someone else you think will also like it. —Stone The Mountaintop Baker👨🏼🍳
