Description
These delightful heart-shaped strawberry shortbread cookies combine buttery, tender shortbread with a sweet strawberry glaze and jam filling. Perfect for special occasions or treats, they offer a charming presentation and a balance of rich and fruity flavors. The recipe involves creaming, chilling, baking, and glazing steps to achieve the ideal texture and look.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Glaze and Filling
- 110 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 2 tablespoons strawberry puree (about 2 large strawberries, hulled and mashed)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
- 30 ml milk (as needed to adjust glaze consistency)
- 170 g strawberry jam
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, caster sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through to ensure even mixing.
- Combine flour and salt: Sift the plain flour and sprinkle in the fine salt. Mix on low speed until the dough begins to clump together and pulls away from the bowl sides. If necessary, finish bringing the dough together with your hands to form a rough disc.
- Roll out the dough: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough out to about ½ cm (¼ inch) thickness. If the dough feels too soft and sticky, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes until firm enough to roll without cracking.
- Cut and chill cookies: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the dough into shapes. Place the cut cookies on parchment-lined baking trays. Re-roll any scraps as needed, adding a few drops of water if the dough becomes dry. Refrigerate the cookie cutouts for at least 30 minutes; this firms up the butter and helps maintain shape during baking.
- Bake cookies: Preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges begin to turn a light golden color. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare glaze: In a bowl, combine the powdered icing sugar, strawberry puree, and melted butter. Stir until smooth and free of lumps. If the glaze is too thick, microwave it for up to 10 seconds or add small amounts of milk gradually until the desired consistency for dipping is reached.
- Glaze cookies: Separate cookies into equal halves for tops and bases. Dip the top halves into the strawberry glaze, letting excess drip off. Place the glazed cookies on a wire rack or tray and allow the glaze to set.
- Assemble cookies: Spoon or pipe approximately one teaspoon of strawberry jam onto each cookie base. Sandwich each base with a glazed cookie top and press gently together. Serve immediately or let them rest at room temperature until the glaze and jam are set.
Notes
- Chilling the dough and cut-out cookies is crucial to prevent spreading and to maintain the heart shape during baking.
- If the dough feels sticky while rolling, lightly flour the surface and rolling pin, or chill the dough longer.
- To make strawberry puree, mash ripe strawberries thoroughly or briefly blitz in a blender for a smoother texture.
- Use fresh or high-quality frozen strawberries for the best flavor in the glaze and jam filling.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days to retain freshness.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute plain flour with a gluten-free all-purpose blend that matches the weight and texture.
