Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies (Print Version)
Buttery cookies filled with sweet strawberry jam and topped with colorful glaze and sprinkles for a playful dessert.
# What You Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Filling
09 - 3/4 cup strawberry jam or preserves
→ Glaze & Decoration
10 - 1 cup powdered sugar
11 - 2 tablespoons milk
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - Pink or red food coloring (optional)
14 - Sprinkles, for topping
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough and flatten each into a small disc in the palm of your hand. Place 1 teaspoon of strawberry jam in the center, then gently fold the dough over the filling, pinching the edges to seal completely. Roll into a smooth ball.
07 - Place the filled dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still appear slightly soft. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
09 - In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and a drop of food coloring if desired, until smooth and pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the fully cooled cookies and immediately top with sprinkles before the glaze sets.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These cookies capture everything you loved about childhood toaster pastries but with a buttery, from-scratch dough that tastes impossibly tender.
- The strawberry jam center creates a gooey surprise that makes people grin every time they bite into one.
02 -
- Seal the jam inside the dough completely before baking, because any exposed jam will bubble out and burn on the pan.
- Patience is everything when it comes to glazing, since even slightly warm cookies will melt the frosting into a runny mess.
03 -
- Chill the filled dough balls in the fridge for fifteen minutes before baking to help them hold their round shape and keep the jam centered.
- A plastic zip bag with a tiny corner snipped off works perfectly as a makeshift piping bag for drizzling the glaze neatly.