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Holiday baking always seems to come with a catch. You want something that looks like it belongs on a cookie platter, but you do not want added sugar messing with your blood sugar or your whole family’s snacking habits. That is exactly the gap these cookies fill.
These holiday shortbread cookies with hole in the middle give you that classic, jam filled, Linzer style look without a long ingredient list or a complicated process. The dough comes together in one bowl, the hole in the middle is just a quick cut with a small cutter or bottle cap, and the jam does all the visual work. No fancy piping. No stress.
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If you have ever made Italian shortbread cookies with jam for the holidays, this version keeps that same charm but swaps out the sugar completely.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- The dough uses just one bowl and comes together in under 15 minutes.
- No added sugar, thanks to a stevia baking blend and sugar free jam.
- The hole in the middle makes these cookies look bakery bought with almost no extra effort.
What Makes These Holiday Shortbread Cookies With Hole In The Middle Special
These cookies taste rich and buttery, with the nutty edge you get from almond flour instead of regular wheat flour. The texture is tender and a little sandy, the way good shortbread should be, not cakey and not crumbly to the point of falling apart.
The hole in the middle is not just decoration. It gives the jam a place to sit and peek through once you stack two cookies together, which is exactly what makes these feel festive without any complicated decorating. They work well for a holiday cookie tray, a cookie exchange, or a quiet afternoon with coffee.
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Create My Free Recipe → Simple ingredients. Easy ideas. Less added sugar.Ingredients
- 2 cups (200g) fine blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated stevia baking blend (a cup for cup sweetener blend works best here), plus a little extra for dusting
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup sugar free raspberry or apricot jam
How To Make Best Sugar free Holiday Shortbread Cookies With Hole In The Middle
Cream the Butter and Sweetener
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and stevia baking blend together until the mixture turns pale and slightly fluffy. This takes about a minute with a hand mixer.
Mix in the Egg Yolk and Vanilla
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract. Beat again until fully combined and smooth.
Add the Almond Flour and Salt
Add the almond flour and salt. Mix on low speed or stir by hand until the dough comes together into a soft ball. It should hold its shape when pressed, not feel wet or sticky.
Chill the Dough Briefly
Wrap the dough and chill it in the freezer for 10 minutes while your oven preheats to 325°F (163°C). This short chill firms up the butter so the cookies hold their shape and the holes cut cleanly.
Shape the Cookies and Cut the Holes
Roll the dough into 16 small balls, about a tablespoon each. Flatten each ball slightly, then use a small round cutter, piping tip, or bottle cap to cut a hole through the center of half of the cookies. Those will be your tops.
Bake Until Golden
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges turn light golden and the tops look set but not browned. The centers should still feel soft to the touch since they firm up as they cool.
Fill With Jam
Let the cookies cool completely on the tray. Spread a thin layer of sugar free jam on each solid bottom cookie, then top with a cookie that has the hole cut out so the jam peeks through the middle.
Additional tips
- If the dough feels too soft to cut clean holes, pop the shaped rounds back in the freezer for 3 to 4 minutes before cutting.
- Cold dough holds its shape far better than warm dough, and it makes a noticeable difference in how neat the holes come out.
Want To Try An Even Easier 3 ingredients Shortbread Cookies Recipe
If cutting holes and filling jam feels like more than you want to deal with on a busy day, you can strip this recipe down to a shortbread cookies recipe 3 ingredients version instead. Just butter, almond flour, and your stevia baking blend.
Another direction worth trying is olive oil shortbread. Swapping half the butter for a mild olive oil gives the cookies a slightly different bite, a bit less rich, a bit more tender, with a faint fruity note that works surprisingly well against the jam filling.
Both versions still bake in under 15 minutes and use the same stevia sweetened, sugar free approach as the main recipe.
Storage and Serving
Store the filled cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, since the jam filling needs a cooler environment than plain cookies would. You can also freeze the unfilled cookies for up to 2 months and add the jam after they thaw.
Let refrigerated cookies sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving so the shortbread softens back up. Dust with a little extra stevia baking blend right before serving for a light, snow dusted holiday look.
Little Kitchen Helpers That Make This Recipe Even Sweeter
A few simple tools and pantry picks make this recipe come together smoother, especially if you plan on baking a big holiday batch.
- Fine blanched almond flour – A finer grind gives the cookies a smoother, more tender crumb instead of a gritty texture.
- Sugar free raspberry – Look for one with a thicker, less runny consistency so it stays put between the cookies.
- Small round piping tip – Makes quick, clean holes without tearing the dough.
Nutrition (Per Cookie, Estimated)
| Nutrition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 115 |
| Carbs | 4g |
| Net Carbs | 2g |
| Protein | 3g |
| Fat | 10g |
| Sugar | 0g |
These values are estimates based on standard ingredient data and can shift slightly depending on the exact jam and sweetener brand you use.
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Additional Resources
Dig deeper with these guides and expert articles to help you make the most of this recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the secret to making good shortbread cookies?
Cold butter and minimal mixing. Overworking the dough or letting the butter get too warm is what turns shortbread crumbly or tough instead of tender.
What is the 321 rule for shortbread?
It refers to the classic ratio of 3 parts flour, 2 parts butter, and 1 part sugar by weight. This recipe adjusts that ratio slightly since almond flour behaves differently than wheat flour.
What makes a cookie a shortbread?
Shortbread relies on a high butter to flour ratio and little to no liquid, which gives it that dense, tender, slightly sandy texture instead of a chewy or cakey one.
What are common mistakes when making shortbread?
The biggest ones are overmixing the dough, skipping the chill time, and baking at too high a temperature, which browns the edges before the center sets properly.
Can I make shortbread with only 3 ingredients?
Yes. A shortbread cookies recipe 3 ingredients version works with just butter, almond flour, and a stevia baking blend. Skip the egg yolk and jam filling, then roll the dough into a log, slice it into rounds, and bake as usual.
Can I use olive oil instead of butter?
You can swap in olive oil for part of the butter for an olive oil shortbread with a lighter, slightly fruity flavor. I would not replace all the butter though, since the cookies tend to spread too much and lose their shape in the oven.
These holiday shortbread cookies with hole in the middle give you that bakery style, jam filled look without any added sugar or complicated steps. The almond flour keeps the texture tender while the stevia baking blend handles the sweetness without a trace of guilt.
They come together fast enough for a busy holiday week, yet they still look like something worth showing off.
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