Filled Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe
These Filled Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies are perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day or anniversaries. They feature a tender, buttery shortbread paired with a sweet strawberry glaze and jam filling, made from simple pantry staples. Easy to make and beginner-friendly, these cookies deliver a beautiful presentation and delicious taste with a crumbly texture and balanced sweetness.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Shortbread Dough
- 4.8 oz unsalted butter, cubed (preferably Kerrygold)
- 2.1 oz sugar
- 1.25 tsp vanilla extract or essence
- 6.5 oz all-purpose flour (King Arthur recommended)
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Strawberry Glaze
- 4.2 oz powdered sugar, sifted
- 2.5 tbsp strawberry puree (fresh or thawed and drained frozen strawberries)
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 fl oz milk (any type)
- 0.5 tsp lemon juice
For the Filling
- 6 oz strawberry jam (smooth or with fruit pieces, Bonne Maman preferred)
Instructions
- Prepare Mise en Place and Make the Cookie Dough: Sift the powdered sugar for the glaze to remove lumps. Cube the unsalted butter to soften quickly. In a medium bowl, whisk flour and salt together and set aside. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy to incorporate air. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
- Form and Chill the Cookie Dough: Add the flour and salt mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and mix on low speed just until a cohesive dough forms—avoid overmixing to prevent toughness. Roll the dough between parchment sheets to 1/2 cm thickness. Cut into heart shapes with a cookie cutter. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced 1 inch apart. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to help cookies hold shape during baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes until set but still pale and tender. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely to prevent glaze from melting.
- Make the Strawberry Glaze: In a small bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar, strawberry puree, butter, milk, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth and spreadable. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if too thick or more powdered sugar if too thin.
- Assemble the Shortbread Sandwiches: Divide cooled cookies into two halves. Dip one half into the glaze, coating the top evenly and letting excess drip off. Spread about 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam onto each cookie of the other half. Gently press a glazed cookie and a jam-topped cookie together, glazed side and jam side facing. Let assembled cookies set for 15-20 minutes so glaze firms before serving.
Notes
- Use cold, firm butter for best dough texture.
- Vanilla essence or extract can be substituted; use almond extract at half quantity for different flavor.
- Use berry jams like raspberry or mixed berry for variations, but avoid runny jams to prevent sogginess.
- Do not overmix dough after adding flour to keep cookies tender and crumbly.
- Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading.
- Watch baking time closely to avoid overbaking which leads to dry, hard cookies.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before glazing and assembling to avoid melting or sliding fillings.
- Cookies keep fresh up to 1 week in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Freeze baked cookies without icing up to 3 months; thaw before glazing and filling.
- Cookie dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 2 months; soften slightly before rolling.
Keywords: strawberry shortbread cookies, heart-shaped cookies, shortbread recipe, strawberry glaze, sandwich cookies, Valentine's Day cookies, easy homemade cookies, berry jam cookies
