Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies hide a teaspoon of thickened strawberry preserves inside large, soft vanilla cookies, then finish with white icing and sanding sugar or sprinkles. Chilling the jam makes filling easier, while pale edges and a short pan rest protect a tender texture. The verified American recipe makes 12 cookies and records 45 minutes preparation, 12 minutes cooking, and 57 minutes total.
Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies Ingredients
For the cookie: 1 cup salted butter, room temperature; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 tsp vanilla extract; ½ tsp almond extract (optional); 2 eggs, room temperature; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp whole milk; 1 tbsp corn starch; 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp kosher salt.
For the jam: 1 cup strawberry preserves; 2 tbsp corn starch.
For the icing: 1 ½ cups powdered sugar; ½ tsp vanilla extract; 3-5 tbsp milk or heavy cream; Sanding sugar or sprinkles.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Swirled Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish.
How to Make Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies
- Prepare the jam: Make the jam first to allow the mixture to set. In a small bowl, whisk the jam and corn starch together. Place in the freezer until needed.
- Make the cookie dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar for 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, almond extract, eggs and milk. Mix on low until just incorporated. While the mixer is on low, slowly add in the flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt and mix until everything is just incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Form dough balls: Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie) to make dough balls. If the dough feels too soft to work with, refrigerate for 10 minutes before filling.
- Assemble cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Once the jam is set (about 30 minutes) take 1 cookie dough ball at a time and flatten the cookie dough in your hand. Scoop about 1 teaspoon of the jam into the center of the dough. Fold the dough over the jam and seal. Roll to make round and place on the cookie sheet.
- Bake: These cookies will spread so space only 3-4 per cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are set and starting to lightly brown. These cookies stay pretty light so don't wait for them to be golden brown or they will overcook.
- Shape and cool: Remove from the oven and place a larger bowl or cookie cutter over the cookie and gently scoot it around to reshape the cookie to be a circle. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cookie rack to cool completely.
- Make the icing: Once the cookies have cooled make the icing. In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract. Add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency.
- Decorate and serve: Spread the icing on top of each cookie and top with sanding sugar or sprinkles. Serve and enjoy!
For storage details after serving, the USDA leftovers and food safety guidance.
Why the Order Matters
First whisk 1 cup strawberry preserves with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and freeze until needed, about 30 minutes. Cream 1 cup room-temperature salted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar for three minutes until light and fluffy. On low, add 2 teaspoons vanilla, optional 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 2 room-temperature eggs, and 2 tablespoons whole milk just until incorporated. Slowly add 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, stopping once combined. Scoop 12 portions of about 3 tablespoons each; chill dough 10 minutes if too soft. Heat the oven to 350°F. Flatten one portion, put about 1 teaspoon set jam in its center, fold dough over, seal, and roll round. Bake only 3–4 per parchment-lined sheet, two inches apart, for 12–14 minutes until edges set and barely brown. Reshape each with a larger bowl or cutter, cool five minutes on the sheet, then rack-cool completely. Whisk 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 3–5 tablespoons milk or cream, adding liquid gradually. Ice cooled cookies and add sanding sugar or sprinkles.
If you enjoy this recipe, you may also like Caramel Apple Cookie Skillet.
Critical Visual and Timing Cues
Prepare the jam first because its approximately 30-minute freezer set prevents it from running during assembly. Cornstarch has two distinct roles: 2 tablespoons thicken preserves, while 1 tablespoon belongs in dough. Cream butter and sugar for the full three minutes. Room-temperature butter and eggs combine more evenly. After liquids, add dry ingredients slowly on low and avoid overmixing. Each cookie uses about three tablespoons dough and one teaspoon jam. Seal every edge before rolling so filling stays enclosed. These large cookies spread, so place only 3–4 on a sheet with two-inch gaps. They should remain pale; edges just beginning to brown at 12–14 minutes mean they are ready. Do not wait for overall gold.
Serving and Storage
Use a bowl or cookie cutter to scoot each hot cookie gently into a circle immediately after baking. Let it remain on the sheet five minutes before transferring to a wire rack, and wait for complete cooling before icing. Adjust icing with milk or heavy cream one tablespoon at a time so it spreads without running away. Finish with sanding sugar or sprinkles. The batch yields exactly 12 cookies. Recorded nutrition is 410 calories, 58 grams carbohydrate, 18 grams fat, and five grams protein per cookie. They are vegetarian but contain dairy, eggs, and wheat; optional almond extract may introduce an additional nut concern.
Practical Kitchen Notes
Cookie dough uses one cup butter, one cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, optional 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 2 eggs, 3 cups flour, 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Filling separately uses one cup preserves and 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Icing separately uses 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 3–5 tablespoons milk or cream. Do not merge cornstarch or vanilla measures. Do not add fresh berries, pastry dough, or store-bought toaster pastries.
Details Worth Preserving
Line sheets before mixing and reserve freezer space for the jam bowl. Whisk preserves and its larger cornstarch measure until no white streak remains. Beat softened, not melted, butter and sugar for three minutes, scraping the bowl. Add room-temperature eggs and milk gently. Stop the mixer promptly once the dry mixture is incorporated. Count 12 equal scoop portions. If soft, use only the recorded 10-minute refrigerator rest. Flatten one portion in the hand, keep the jam teaspoon centered, lift dough completely around it, pinch the seam, and round without squeezing filling outward. Arrange only 3–4 on each tray. Check at 12 minutes and continue only toward 14 until edges set. Reshape while flexible, then preserve the five-minute sheet rest. Rack-cool before making icing. Begin with three tablespoons liquid and increase one tablespoon at a time only as necessary, never exceeding the recorded five. Decorate after icing and preserve the exact 12-cookie yield.
Recorded Recipe Tips
- These cookies stay light in color - don't wait for them to turn golden or they'll overcook.
- For best results, make sure butter and eggs are at room temperature.
- The almond extract is optional but adds a nice flavor dimension.
Conclusion
Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies makes 12 cookies in 57 recorded minutes. Preserve every listed quantity, temperature, timing cue, and ordered instruction for the intended result.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → How many servings does Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies make?
It makes 12 cookies and serves 12.
- → How long does Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies take?
The recipe records 45 minutes of preparation, 12 minutes of cooking, and 57 minutes total.
- → Why is the strawberry filling frozen first?
Whisking preserves with cornstarch and chilling them about 30 minutes creates a set filling that is easier to enclose without leaking.
- → Why should these cookies stay pale?
They are ready when edges are set and only starting to lightly brown after 12–14 minutes; waiting for full gold overcooks them.