Description
These heart-shaped strawberry shortbread cookies are a delightful twist on a classic treat, featuring finely ground freeze-dried strawberries baked into a buttery dough. Each cookie is lovingly sandwiched with sweet strawberry jam and optionally topped with a drizzle of white chocolate and festive sprinkles, making them perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
Assembly and Topping
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or melting wafers (optional)
- Pink or red sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and salt, mixing until fully combined.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and finely ground freeze-dried strawberries to evenly distribute the fruit powder.
- Combine Ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed butter mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Heat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cookie removal.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies. For half the cookies, use a smaller heart cutter to cut out the center to create a window effect.
- Bake: Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes until the edges turn lightly golden.
- Cool: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before assembling.
- Assemble Cookies: Spread a thin layer of strawberry jam on the whole bottom cookies, then gently top with the cookies that have the cut-out center to form a sandwich.
- Optional Decoration: Melt white chocolate chips or wafers and drizzle over the tops of the sandwich cookies. Add pink or red sprinkles immediately before the chocolate sets. Let the chocolate firm up before serving.
Notes
- You can substitute raspberry jam in place of strawberry jam or use chocolate hazelnut spread for a richer flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep fresh for up to 1 week.
- If the dough becomes too soft while rolling, place it back in the refrigerator briefly to firm up for easier handling.
