Description
Delightfully sweet Heart Jam Cookies featuring a tender, buttery dough encasing a vibrant dollop of your favorite fruit jam. Perfect for gifting or a charming treat to share, these cookies combine simple ingredients for a classic yet irresistible dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp milk (optional, to adjust dough consistency)
Other
- 1/4 cup fruit jam (raspberry, strawberry, apricot, or your choice)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and seasoning.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, which helps create a tender texture in the cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, ensuring richness and flavor in the dough.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined. If the dough feels too dry or crumbly, add the optional tablespoon of milk to adjust the consistency for easier handling.
- Shape Cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes. Then, using a smaller heart cutter or a knife, make a smaller heart cut-out in the center of half of the cookies to create a window for the jam.
- Assemble Cookies: Place the solid heart cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon a small amount (about 1/2 tsp) of your chosen fruit jam onto each. Top each jam-spread cookie with a cut-out cookie, gently pressing around the edges to seal them.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven.
- Cool and Dust: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Once cooled, dust the tops lightly with powdered sugar if desired for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming and better dough texture.
- The milk is optional and should only be added if the dough is too dry or crumbly to work with comfortably.
- You can substitute the fruit jam with any flavor you prefer, such as blueberry, cherry, or fig.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days for best freshness.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking blend.
