Fresh Strawberry Jam Cookies (Printable Version)

Buttery cookies with a sweet strawberry jam center, ideal for tea time or gifting.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg yolk
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Strawberry Jam Filling

07 - 3/4 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
08 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 teaspoons lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a small saucepan, combine diced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until strawberries break down and mixture thickens, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
03 - In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract, beating until combined.
04 - Gradually add flour and salt, mixing until a soft dough forms.
05 - Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough and roll into balls. Arrange on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
06 - Use your thumb or the back of a teaspoon to make an indentation in the center of each ball.
07 - Fill each indentation with approximately 1/2 teaspoon of cooled strawberry jam.
08 - Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until edges are just turning golden.
09 - Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and comes together in minutes, so even small mistakes rarely ruin the batch.
  • That burst of bright jam against buttery cookie is the kind of flavor combination that feels fancy without requiring special skills.
  • You can make and freeze the dough days ahead, then bake fresh whenever you want warm cookies.
02 -
  • The jam must be completely cool before you fill the cookies, or it will melt into the dough and disappear during baking.
  • Don't skip the rest time on the baking sheet, because moving them while they're too soft causes them to lose their shape and jam to leak everywhere.
03 -
  • Keep your butter at a true room temperature, not cold or melted, because this is where the texture of the final cookie is decided.
  • Don't feel obligated to make your own jam if store-bought genuinely works for your life and schedule, because good food is food you actually make.
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