Description
Delightfully charming heart-shaped strawberry shortbread cookies perfect for any occasion. These buttery, crumbly cookies are filled with luscious strawberry jam and topped with a smooth strawberry glaze, combining classic shortbread texture with fresh, fruity sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Basic Shortbread:
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Strawberry Filling and 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
- 170 g strawberry jam
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: 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 to ensure even mixing.
- Combine 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 squeeze 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, wrap it and chill for 10–15 minutes until firmer, ensuring it doesn’t crack when rolling out.
- Cut and chill cookies: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out cookies, place them on parchment-lined trays, and re-roll scraps gently as needed, adding a couple drops of water if dough dries out. Refrigerate the cutouts for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter and help cookies keep their shape during baking.
- Bake cookies: Preheat oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes or until just golden around the edges. Let them cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare glaze: Mix powdered icing sugar, strawberry puree, and melted butter in a bowl until smooth and lump-free. If thick, microwave for up to 10 seconds or add small amounts of milk until desired consistency is reached.
- Glaze cookies: Separate cookies into equal numbers of tops and bases. Dip the top halves into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off, then place on a wire rack or tray to set.
- Assemble 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 until glaze and jam set.
Notes
- Step-by-step photos are available on the blog for guidance throughout the recipe.
- If fresh strawberries are unavailable for the glaze, substitute with 1 tablespoon strawberry jam or 1-2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries.
- To enjoy plain, simply dip each heart cookie in glaze without assembling the sandwich.
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freeze undecorated dough layered with parchment paper for up to 3 months; thaw overnight before assembling and glazing.
- Re-roll dough scraps carefully to maximize cookie yield without overworking it.
- Lightly flour cookie cutters to prevent dough sticking and preserve cookie shapes.
- Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent spreading and maintain shape during baking.
- Monitor bake time closely as oven temperatures vary; a few minutes difference affects the final texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
