Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies (Printable)
Soft buttery cookies filled with strawberry jam and topped with sweet vanilla glaze
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Filling
08 - 1/2 cup strawberry jam (seedless preferred)
→ Glaze and Toppings
09 - 1 cup powdered sugar
10 - 1–2 tablespoons milk
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries, crushed (optional garnish)
13 - Colorful sprinkles (optional garnish)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully combined and smooth.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough and roll into balls. Flatten each ball slightly in your palm. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry jam onto the center of half the dough rounds. Place a second dough round on top of each jam-topped piece, pinch the edges firmly to seal, and gently flatten to enclose the filling.
07 - Place the filled cookie shells on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
09 - In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add additional milk as needed, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency.
10 - Drizzle or spread the glaze over the fully cooled cookies. Immediately sprinkle with crushed freeze-dried strawberries or colorful sprinkles before the glaze sets. Allow glaze to firm up before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The jam filling melts into the cookie as it bakes, creating a gooey center that surprises everyone who bites into one.
- Kids lose their minds over these, and adults pretend they are not reaching for a third.
- No rolling pin or cookie cutters required, just your hands and a baking sheet.
02 -
- Do not overfill the cookies with jam or the seal will burst open in the oven and you will have jam everywhere except inside the cookie.
- The cookies will look very soft when you take them out but they firm up as they cool on the baking sheet, so trust the process and resist the urge to overbake.
03 -
- Chill the dough for 15 minutes before shaping if your kitchen is warm and the dough feels too sticky to handle.
- Dust your palms with a tiny bit of flour when sealing the edges so the jam does not make everything slippery and impossible to pinch shut.