Strawberry Butter Cookies are light, crisp sandwich cookies built from a simple three ingredient butter cookie base and dressed up with a layer of buttercream and a jewel bright filling of strawberry jam.
The bottom cookie is a solid round, while the top cookie has a small cutout window that lets the jam show through. When you dust the finished cookies with powdered sugar, they look like little stained glass treats.
I first made these for a spring afternoon tea with friends, and they disappeared from the plate before the pot was even ready. They have that wonderful combination of a tender, shortbread style crumb with a sweet, fruity center that makes them feel special without being complicated.
The recipe starts from a basic homemade butter cookies dough made with just butter, sugar, and flour. To turn that base into these jam buttercream cookies, you only need three additional basic ingredients: jam, powdered sugar, and a little cornflour if you want to thicken the jam.
That is it. The result is a cookie that is easy to make but looks like it came from a bakery.
These cookies are perfect for holiday cookie platters, bridal shower desserts, tea party treats, and gift tins. They are also wonderful with a cup of coffee on a quiet afternoon. If you love fruit filled cookies, you might also enjoy these strawberry cheesecake cookies for another fruity twist.
The beauty of this recipe is how straightforward the ingredient list is. Here is what you need for the cookie dough, the jam filling, and the buttercream.
Component
Ingredient
Quantity
Cookie Dough
Butter, softened
1 cup
Cookie Dough
Sugar (white granulated)
1/2 cup
Cookie Dough
Cake flour or all purpose flour
2 cups
Jam Filling
Jam (strawberry or any preferred flavor)
3/4 cup
Jam Filling
Cornflour (cornstarch), optional
1/2 tablespoon
Buttercream
Butter or white shortening
3/4 cup
Buttercream
Powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups
Buttercream
Vanilla extract, optional
1/2 teaspoon
Butter versus margarine: I strongly recommend using butter instead of margarine for richer flavor and better texture. Butter should be soft but not melted, so take it out of the fridge about an hour before you start mixing. If you press it with your finger and it leaves a gentle indent, it is ready.
Cake flour versus all purpose flour: Cake flour gives the cookies a slightly more tender crumb, but all purpose flour works perfectly well if that is what you have. The key is to mix the dough gently so the cookies stay light and crisp.
Butter or shortening for the buttercream: You can use either butter or white vegetable shortening for the frosting. I prefer shortening when I am making these for an outdoor event or a warm kitchen because it keeps the buttercream firm and more stable in hot weather.
If you use butter, the flavor is richer, but the filling will soften more quickly at room temperature.
Sifting powdered sugar: Always sift your powdered sugar before adding it to the buttercream. This prevents lumps and gives you a smooth, creamy frosting that pipes easily.
Jam options: Strawberry jam is the classic choice, but you can use blueberry, apricot, peach, raspberry, or any favorite flavor. Cornflour is optional and only needed if you want to thicken the jam so it sets more firmly in the cookie center.
How to Make Strawberry Butter Cookies
These sandwich cookies come together in a few clear stages: make the dough, roll and chill it, cut the shapes, bake, then assemble. Take your time with each step and the results will be beautiful.
Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar
Place the softened butter and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for about 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is pale, light, and fluffy. This creaming step is what aerates the dough, so do not rush it.
The recipe notes suggest that 5 to 8 minutes of creaming gives the lightest texture, so if you have the time, go a little longer.
Step 2: Add the Flour
Sift the flour into the beaten butter mixture and mix gently just until a soft dough forms. Overmixing can make the cookies tough, so stop as soon as the flour is incorporated.
Step 3: Roll and Chill the Dough
Divide the dough in half and form each piece into a disk. Place each disk between two large sheets of parchment paper or wax paper, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 3/16 inch (5 mm) thickness. Transfer the dough sheets, still between the paper, onto a baking sheet or cutting board and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough before chilling, not after. Refrigerated dough can develop a hard outer crust and crack when you try to roll it.
Step 4: Cut the Shapes
After chilling, peel away the top layer of parchment paper and lightly dust the dough with flour. Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out the bottom cookies.
For the top cookies, cut the same 2 inch rounds, then use a smaller round cutter or a piping nozzle to cut a small window out of the center of half the shapes.
Step 5: Bake
Place the cutout shapes on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 320°F (160°C) for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Watch them carefully near the end of the baking time. The cookies may still feel a little soft when you take them out, but they will crisp as they cool on the baking sheet.
Step 6: Cool and Assemble
Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Once they are fully cool, pipe a ring of buttercream around the outer edge of each bottom cookie. Place the windowed top cookie over the buttercream and press gently to sandwich them together.
Then pipe the jam into the center window to fill it. Finally, sprinkle the assembled cookies with castor or powdered sugar.
Reducing the Jam and Making Buttercream
Two things make these cookies stand out: a firm, creamy buttercream border and a jam filling that stays put instead of running everywhere. Here is how to prepare both.
Thickening the Jam (Optional)
You can use the jam straight from the jar, but I prefer a thicker jam that sets firm in the cookie center. To thicken it, heat the jam in a small pot on medium heat for 1 minute.
As the jam warms, it becomes more liquid. Add the cornflour directly into the heated jam and whisk continuously for about 4 minutes until the jam thickens.
Be sure to let the reduced jam cool completely before piping it into the cookies. Warm jam will melt the piped buttercream and make a mess of your careful assembly.
Making the Buttercream
In a bowl, beat the butter or shortening for about 2 minutes until fluffy and softened. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and continue beating until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and well combined. You can add vanilla extract if you like a little extra flavor, though it is optional.
The buttercream should be firm enough to hold a piped ring shape. If it feels too soft, especially in a warm kitchen, you can chill it briefly before piping. This is where using shortening instead of butter really helps, since shortening keeps the buttercream stable even when the room is warm.
When you are ready to assemble, fill a piping bag (or a disposable plastic lunch bag with the corner snipped) with the buttercream. Pipe a ring around the outer edge of each bottom cookie.
Then fill a second piping bag with the cooled jam and pipe it into the center window. A steady hand helps, but you do not need fancy piping skills to get a neat result.
For the Perfect Cookies
A few small habits make a big difference between good cookies and truly perfect ones. Here are the tips I always follow.
Cream thoroughly: Creaming the butter and sugar well, about 5 minutes with an electric mixer, aerates the dough and gives you lighter cookies. Poorly creamed dough can turn out heavy and dense.
Chill before cutting: The soft dough should be refrigerated for about 30 minutes before cutting. Chilling firms the butter so the dough holds its shape and is much easier to cut cleanly.
Bake until just golden: Bake until the cookies are just golden brown and lightly browned around the edges. They may still be a bit soft when removed from the oven but will crisp as they cool.
Watch carefully: These cookies go from golden to overbaked quickly, so keep a close eye on them during the last few minutes.
Residual heat from the baking sheet continues to cook the cookies briefly after they come out of the oven. Pull them when the edges are golden and the centers still look just set.
If your cookies are still spreading too much despite chilling, check your dough thickness. Anything thicker than 3/16 inch can cause the cookies to lose their window shape. If the cut cookies soften while sitting on the baking sheet before baking, return them to the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make strawberry butter cookies?
Cream softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then gently mix in the flour to form a soft dough. Roll the dough to 3/16 inch, chill it for 30 minutes, cut the shapes, and bake at 320°F for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden. Once fully cooled, sandwich the cookies with buttercream and strawberry jam.
Why do strawberry butter cookies lose their shape in the oven?
The most common reason is that the dough is too warm or too thick when it goes into the oven. Chilling the rolled dough for 30 minutes helps the butter firm up, and if the cut cookies soften after cutting, chilling them again for 10 to 15 minutes can help. Rolling the dough evenly also reduces spreading.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour for strawberry butter cookies?
Yes, all-purpose flour can be used if you do not have cake flour. Cake flour gives a slightly more tender texture, but the recipe works well with either one. The key is to mix the dough gently so the cookies stay light and crisp.
How should strawberry butter cookies be stored?
Unfilled baked cookies freeze well, while assembled sandwich cookies are best kept in an airtight container at room temperature for a short period. Let the cookies cool completely before filling them so the buttercream does not melt. If you need to make them ahead, it is best to freeze the baked cookies before adding the jam and buttercream.
What Are Strawberry Butter Cookies? Strawberry Butter Cookies are light, crisp sandwich cookies built from a simple three ingredient butter cookie base and dressed up with a layer of buttercream and a jewel bright filling of strawberry jam.
Total Time:1 hour 5 minutes
Yield:15–20 sandwich cookies 1x
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough 1 cup butter, softened 0.5 cup sugar 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
Jam Filling 0.75 cup jam (strawberry or any) 0.5 Tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
Cookie Dough and Baking 1-Beat the butter and sugar for about: Beat the butter and sugar for about 3 to 5 minutes until pale, light, and fluffy. 2-Sift the flour into the beaten butter: Sift the flour into the beaten butter mixture and mix gently to combine forming a soft dough. 3-Divide dough in half, form each half: Divide dough in half, form each half into a disk and place each between 2 large sheets of parchment paper or wax paper. 4-Use a rolling pin to roll each: Use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough to 3/16 inch (5mm) thickness. 5-Place dough sheets on a baking sheet: Place dough sheets on a baking sheet or cutting board and transfer them to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. 6-Peel away the top layer of parchment: Peel away the top layer of parchment paper from your dough. Dust and rub lightly with flour. 7-Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to: Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to cut out cookies (bottom part). With a smaller round cookie cutter or piping nozzle, cut a window out of half the shapes (top part). 8-Place the cutout shapes onto a baking: Place the cutout shapes onto a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes in a preheated oven of 320°F (160°C) until golden brown.
Buttercream 9-In a bowl beat the butter or: In a bowl beat the butter or shortening for 2 minutes until fluffy and softened. 10-Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue: Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to beat this mixture until smooth, creamy, and well-combined. (Add vanilla extract if using).
Jam Filling (Optional) 11-Heat the jam in a small pot: Heat the jam in a small pot on medium heat for 1 minute. 12-Add the cornflour/cornstarch directly into the heated: Add the cornflour/cornstarch directly into the heated jam and whisk continuously for 4 minutes until thickened. 13-Allow the heated and reduced jam to: Allow the heated and reduced jam to cool before piping it into the baked cookies.
Assembly 14-Fill a piping bag or disposable plastic: Fill a piping bag or disposable plastic lunch bag with buttercream. Snip the tip of the bag to allow the frosting to flow freely. 15-Pipe the buttercream along the outer edge: Pipe the buttercream along the outer edge of the bottom part of the cookies. 16-Take the top part of the cookie: Take the top part of the cookie (those with the cut-out center) and place it over the piped buttercream. Press lightly and gently to sandwich the cookies. 17-Fill another piping bag or disposable plastic: Fill another piping bag or disposable plastic lunch bag with the jam. Snip the tip. Pipe the jam to fill in the center of the cookie. 18-Sprinkle castor or powdered sugar over the: Sprinkle castor or powdered sugar over the assembled cookies.
Last Step:
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