Nostalgic Strawberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

You only need a handful of basic pantry ingredients to make these strawberry jam shortbread cookies:

• Unsalted butter at room temperature — use good quality butter for the best flavor.
• Granulated sugar
• One large egg at room temperature
• Vanilla paste or extract
• All-purpose flour
• Cornstarch — this helps keep the cookies extra tender. You can substitute an equal amount of flour if needed.
• Baking powder
• Strawberry preserves or jam — use a high-quality jarred jam or homemade preserves when strawberries are in season.
• Powdered sugar for dusting the top cookies with the window cutout.

Step by Step Instructions

This recipe works well with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Read through the steps before you begin so the process flows smoothly.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until a smooth, cohesive dough forms.
6. Divide the dough into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface (or between two sheets of parchment), roll each portion to about 1/4–1/2 inch thickness. Lightly flour your rolling pin to prevent sticking.
7. Use a 2–3 inch cookie cutter (a flower shape is traditional) to cut the cookies. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little room between each cookie.
8. On half of the cookies, cut a small 1/2-inch round “window” in the center (you can use a tiny cookie cutter or the back of a piping tip).
9. Bake the cookies for 12–18 minutes, depending on size and thickness, until the edges are just turning golden.
10. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack.
11. Dust the cookies that have the window cutout with powdered sugar. On the remaining whole cookies, place 1/2–1 teaspoon of strawberry jam in the center.
12. Top each jam-filled cookie with a powdered sugar-dusted window cookie to form a sandwich and serve.

Tips and Variations

• Work lightly with flour: Don’t over-dust your work surface. Instead, lightly flour your rolling pin or roll the dough between parchment sheets to prevent sticking. Chilling the rolled dough for 15–20 minutes can make cutting cleaner and easier.
• Cookie shapes: These are traditional strawberry shortbread sandwich cookies, so you’ll use a cutter rather than scooping balls. While a flower-shaped cutter is classic, any shape will work and gives you options for seasonal or themed cookies.
• Portion yields: The number of cookies will vary depending on the cookie cutter size and the thickness of the dough.
• Jam amount: Use about 1/2–1 teaspoon of jam per cookie. Too much jam can make the cookies soggy, so a little goes a long way.
• Lift cookies carefully: Use a small offset spatula to transfer cut cookies to the baking sheet so they keep their shape.
• Nutty add-ins: For a richer, nuttier flavor, stir 1/2 cup of finely ground toasted nuts (almonds, pecans, or hazelnuts) into the flour mixture.
• Filling variations: While strawberry is classic, other options include raspberry jam, apricot preserves, chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella), or a small dollop of lemon curd for a bright contrast.

Make Ahead, Store, and Freeze

• Make ahead: You can prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring it to room temperature before rolling.
• Store: Once assembled, store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Note that cookies will soften gradually as the jam releases moisture.
• Freeze raw dough: You can freeze cut, unbaked cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
• Freeze baked cookies: Layer baked cookies between parchment and freeze in an airtight container for up to 12 weeks. Thaw to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Card

Strawberry Jam Shortbread Cookies

Buttery shortbread cookies filled with strawberry jam.

Prep Time: 10 mins   Cook Time: 18 mins   Servings: About 18 double cookies

Author: Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

• 1 Cup unsalted butter at room temperature (225g)
• 1/2 Cup sugar (100g)
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 2 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour (330g)
• 1/2 Cup cornstarch (30g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 Cup strawberry preserves
• 1/4 Cup powdered sugar (30g) for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.
3. Add the egg and vanilla paste and mix until incorporated.
4. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture until a smooth dough forms.
6. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each to 1/4–1/2 inch thickness on a floured surface.
7. Cut the dough with a 2–3 inch cookie cutter and place the cut cookies on the prepared pans.
8. Use a 1/2-inch round cutter or the back of a piping tip to cut a small hole in the center of half the cookies.
9. Bake for 12–18 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden. Smaller or thinner cookies will need less time; larger or thicker cookies will need more.
10. Cool completely. Dust the window-cut cookies with powdered sugar and spread 1/2–1 teaspoon of jam on the whole cookies. Top with the powdered cookies to form sandwiches.

Notes

• Store cookies at room temperature for up to one week in an airtight container.
• To freeze raw cut cookies, lay them in a single layer in a container with parchment between layers. Bake from frozen, adding 5–7 minutes to the baking time.
• To freeze baked cookies, layer with parchment and freeze up to 12 weeks. Thaw to room temperature before serving.
• Cookies will absorb moisture from the jam and soften over time. For a firmer filling, consider chocolate-hazelnut spread instead of jam.
• For a nutty version, fold 1/2 cup ground toasted nuts into the dry ingredients. Cookie yield varies with cutter size and thickness.
• Only a small amount of jam is needed — about 1/2–1 teaspoon per cookie — to keep the texture balanced.