Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies (Printable)
Buttery sugar cookies stuffed with strawberry jam, glazed, and sprinkled for a playful treat.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Filling
09 - 3/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves
→ Glaze & Decoration
10 - 1 cup powdered sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Pink or red food coloring (optional)
14 - Sprinkles, for topping
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar together until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix in the vanilla extract.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the creamed butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough and flatten each into a small disc in the palm of your hand. Place 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam in the center, then gently fold the dough around the filling, pinching the edges to seal completely. Roll gently into a smooth ball.
07 - Place the filled dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still appear slightly soft. Let the cookies 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, milk, vanilla extract, and a drop of pink or red food coloring if desired, until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the fully cooled cookies and immediately top with sprinkles before the glaze sets.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- That gooey jam center surprises everyone who bites into one, and watching peoples faces light up never gets old.
- They look bakery fancy but the whole process is surprisingly relaxed, even if sprinkles end up on your floor.
02 -
- If the cookies are even slightly warm when you glaze them, the icing will melt right off into a puddle and you will be sad.
- Pinching the dough seal tightly around the jam is critical because any gap means a sticky blowout in the oven.
03 -
- Chill the filled dough balls for fifteen minutes before baking to help them hold their shape and keep the jam from leaking.
- Use a piping bag or zip top bag with a corner snipped off for neater glaze application, it looks ten times more professional.