Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies (Printable)
Buttery sugar cookies stuffed with strawberry jam and glazed to perfection. A playful twist on a nostalgic favorite.
# 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 Garnish
09 - 1 cup powdered sugar
10 - 1–2 tablespoons milk
11 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries, crushed (optional)
13 - Colorful sprinkles (optional)
# How To Make It:
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. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale, light, and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
04 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft, cohesive dough forms. Do not overmix.
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 into 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 about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire 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, a small splash at a time, until the glaze is thick yet pourable.
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.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That jammy center bursting out when you bite in is the kind of surprise that makes people close their eyes and grin.
- The glaze cracks just slightly when you break one in half, exactly like the real thing but somehow better because you made it yourself.
02 -
- Seal those edges tightly or the jam will escape and burn on the pan, which I learned the hard way on batch number one.
- Do not overbake these, the centers should look slightly underdone when you pull them because they keep cooking on the hot sheet.
03 -
- Chill the assembled, unfilled dough balls for fifteen minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm, because cold dough spreads less and holds its shape better.
- Use a small cookie scoop for perfectly uniform portions so every cookie bakes at exactly the same rate.