These Viennese Whirl Sandwich Cookies are delicate, delicious and super simple! The light butter cookie blends perfectly with the raspberry jam and buttercream filling. These can be whipped up in just about an hour and only contain 6 total ingredients!
This recipe was originally authored by Mary Berry, a British food writer. You may recognize her name from the Great British Baking Show where she was one of the judges in the original seasons.
Quick Tips
- Be sure to use very soft (but not melted) butter when making the dough (this ensures that the dough will be pipe-able)
- Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or spice bottle if you don’t have a round cookie cutter) to trace circles on to parchment paper so that the cookies all are the same size
- I highly recommend using a piping bag to pipe these cookies on to the cookie sheets (a gallon bag will likely not be strong enough for the thicker dough, which results in the piping tip coming out)
- Refrigerate the piped cookie dough for at LEAST 30 minutes so that the cookies maintain their original shape as best as possible (you could also pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes)
- Be very careful with baking times. If under-baked, the cookies with be too crumbly. If too brown, the edges of the cookies may taste burnt and will not have the desired appearance. Remove these from the oven as soon as you see any browning
- Don’t add too much jam to the cookies – this could cause them to slide apart. My favorite type of jam to use is linked here – but feel free to use your favorite! (It doesn’t need to be raspberry flavored)
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
- Piping bags and tips
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Silicone spatula
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: salted or unsalted is OK, but must be softened, not melted (read about ways to soften butter here). You’ll use this in the cookies and the buttercream
- All-purpose flour: make sure that you either sift the flour or loosen it up when measuring to ensure most accurate measurement
- Powdered sugar: you’ll use this in the cookies, the buttercream and for topping the finished cookies!
- Cornstarch: this helps the cookies be extra tender
- Vanilla extract: I recommend using pure vanilla extract for best taste
- Raspberry jam: other jam flavors can be used too (this one is my favorite)
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How to make Viennese Whirl Sandwich Cookies
These Viennese Whirl Sandwich Cookies can be made in three simple steps!
- Make the butter cookies
- Make the buttercream
- Assemble the Viennese Whirl Sandwich Cookies
How to make the butter cookies
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use the convection setting if you have it.
Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or a spice bottle) as a guide, trace 24 circles on to 2 separate pieces of parchment paper. Make sure that each circle is at least 1 inch apart. You can also use a heart-shaped or other shaped cookie cutter to trace on the parchment paper – make other fun shapes like the heart-shaped cookies pictured above!
Grease and line two large baking sheets with the parchment paper (making sure that the side with the tracings are face down).
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar until fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).
Next, add in flour and corn starch. Beat until combined, then scrape down the bowl once complete.
Prepare a piping bag with a star piping tip. Spoon cookie dough into piping bag. *Other piping tips can be used as well, but I recommend using a wider one so the dough pipes out well.
Pipe the cookie dough into swirled rounds (ending with a peak at the center), using the tracings as a guide.
Refrigerate the piped cookie dough for at least 30 minutes so that the shape of the cookie sets. You can also freeze it for 10-15 minutes instead.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms and edges just begin to brown. Let the cookies cool to room temperature before assembling the Viennese Whirl Sandwich Cookies.
How to make the buttercream
Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing between each addition.
Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star piping tip and set aside.
How to make Viennese Whirl Sandwich Cookies
Separate the cooled cookies into pairs (I usually will try to pair like-sized cookies together).
Spoon ½-1 teaspoon of jam on to the flat side of one of the butter cookies. You can also use a piping bag to do this if desired.
Pipe buttercream on to the flat side of the remaining cookie and gently sandwich the cookies together (one with buttercream and one with jam). Repeat until all cookies have been used.
Dust finished cookies with powdered sugar on one side and enjoy! They should be stored in the refrigerator, but are best enjoyed at room temperature. Remove them from the fridge 30 minutes before you’re going to eat them.
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Viennese Whirl Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Butter Cookies
- 2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Cookie Filling
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 1¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup raspberry jam (I prefer Smucker's Natural brand)
Instructions
To make the butter cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter (or a spice bottle) as a guide, trace 24 circles on to 2 separate pieces of parchment paper. Make sure that each circle is at least 1 inch apart.
- Grease and line two large baking sheets with the parchment paper (making sure that the side with the pencil tracings are face down).
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, cream the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy (about 1-2 minutes).
- Sift in flour and corn starch. Beat until just combined.
- Prepare a piping bag with a star piping tip. Spoon cookie dough into piping bag.
- Pipe the cookie dough into swirled rounds (ending with a peak at the center), using the round tracings as a guide.
- Refrigerate the piped cookie dough for at least 30 minutes so that the shape of the cookie sets.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the bottoms and edges are light brown.
- Let cookies cool to room temperature before assembling.
To make the filling and assemble the cookies
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star piping tip and set aside.
- Separate the cookies into pairs (I usually will try to pair like-sized cookies together).
- Spoon ½-1 teaspoon of jam on to the flat side of one of the butter cookies.
- Pipe buttercream on to the flat side of the remaining cookie and gently sandwich the cookies together (one with buttercream and one with jam). Repeat until all cookies have been used.
- Dust finished cookies with powdered sugar and refrigerate until they are ready to be served.
Milena says
Hello! I’m Brazilian and I would like to know how many grams of butter you use. Your recipes are amazing and the pictures are beautiful. Congratulations!!!
Jackie says
Thank you so much! 226 grams of butter 🙂
Kirsten Legner says
Similar question… how many grams of flour are you measuring for this recipe?
Jackie says
167 grams 🙂
Jessica says
What is the exact amount of the butter into grams? Thanks!
Jackie says
Great question! It’s 16 tablespoons or about 226 grams of butter. Enjoy!!
Lisa Smith says
What should I do if the cookie dough is too thick to pipe? Add more butter? Add some milk?
Jackie says
Great question. I would warm it up, even microwave it if necessary for just a few seconds or work it with your hands. Then double bag the piping bag to ensure it’s strong enough to pipe without bursting. Good luck!
Bambi says
Utterly delicious!!! Followed recipe exactly, but I did use lemon curd on some and the raspberry jam on the others. Just wondering if I didn’t pipe enough buttercream on them cause I had quite a bit leftover, but I will use that on something else. Really loved them and fairly easy. Thank you
Jackie says
So glad that you enjoyed them! Such a good idea to use lemon curd as well