Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe
These heart-shaped strawberry shortbread cookies combine buttery, tender shortbread with a sweet strawberry jam filling and a smooth strawberry glaze. Perfect for romantic occasions or as a delightful treat, these cookies are easy to prepare and bake to golden perfection. The light vanilla and strawberry notes make them a charming and delicious dessert.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Dough
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Glaze
- 110 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 2 tablespoon strawberry puree (2 large strawberries hulled and mashed with a fork)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
- 30 ml milk (optional, for consistency)
Filling
- 170 g strawberry jam
Instructions
- Cream Butter, Sugar and Vanilla: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and light. Scrape down the bowl halfway through to ensure even mixing.
- Add Flour and Salt: Sift in the plain flour and add the fine salt, then mix on low speed until the dough begins to come together, forming ragged clumps that clean the bowl sides. Use your hands to gather the dough into a rough disc.
- Roll out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about ½ cm (¼ inch) thickness. If the dough is too soft to roll without sticking, wrap and chill it for 10–15 minutes until firmer but pliable.
- Cut and Chill Cookies: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out cookies, placing them on parchment-lined baking trays. Re-roll scraps gently as needed, adding a few drops of water if dough becomes dry. Refrigerate the cutouts for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter and help maintain shape during baking.
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes or until they are just golden around the edges. Let them cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Glaze: Mix together powdered icing sugar, strawberry puree, and melted butter until smooth and lump-free. If the glaze is too thick, microwave for up to 10 seconds or stir in small amounts of milk gradually until desired consistency is reached.
- Glaze the Cookies: Separate the cookies into equal halves — tops and bases. Dip the top halves into the strawberry glaze, allowing any excess to drip off. Place on a wire rack or tray and let the glaze set.
- Assemble the Cookies: Spoon or pipe about a teaspoon of strawberry jam onto each cookie base. Sandwich with the glazed tops and gently press together. Serve immediately or allow to rest at room temperature to let the glaze and jam set.
Notes
- If dough becomes too sticky when rolling, chill longer or lightly flour the surface and rolling pin.
- The strawberry puree used in the glaze can be adjusted for color and flavor intensity.
- For sharper cookie edges, chill dough before rolling and after cutting.
- Store assembled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing dough scraps before rolling can help with texture and rolling ease.
Keywords: strawberry shortbread cookies, heart-shaped cookies, strawberry jam cookies, shortbread, baked cookies, strawberry glaze