If you’re looking for a cookie recipe that’s just as cute as it is delicious, I’ve got you covered. This Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe is one of my absolute favorites—perfectly buttery shortbread paired with a sweet strawberry glaze and jam that truly wins hearts (pun intended!). Whether you’re baking for a special occasion or just because, these cookies come together beautifully and taste incredible. Trust me, once you try making these, you’ll want to bake them again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple ingredients, incredible flavor: This recipe uses pantry staples plus fresh strawberries for a natural, delicious taste.
- Lovely heart shapes for any occasion: Perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or just to show someone you care.
- Easy to follow with pro tips: I’ve included my go-to tricks for dough handling and baking to help you nail every batch.
- Customizable glaze and assembly: You can adjust sweetness and strawberry intensity to suit your taste.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Getting the balance right in these cookies comes down to buttery shortbread that’s not too soft, paired with just the right sweet and tangy strawberry glaze. Here’s a breakdown of what I use and why it works so well together.
- Unsalted butter: I always recommend room temperature butter so it creams smoothly with the sugar, giving tender shortbread.
- Caster sugar: Its fine texture helps the butter whip up light and airy for that melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
- Vanilla extract: Just a teaspoon adds warmth and depth, balancing the strawberry sweetness perfectly.
- Plain flour (all-purpose): The base for your shortbread—a good quality flour helps with the texture.
- Fine salt: Even a pinch is essential; it enhances the buttery flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Powdered icing sugar: This creates a smooth, sweet glaze that clings beautifully to the cookies.
- Strawberry puree: I like mashing fresh strawberries for a natural bright flavor; you can also use good quality jam or freeze-dried strawberries if fresh aren’t available.
- Unsalted butter (for glaze): A touch of melted butter in the glaze adds richness and shine.
- Milk: Just a little to adjust the glaze consistency—feel free to swap with lemon juice or water for a tangier note.
- Strawberry jam: The perfect filling to sandwich the shortbread together. Look for a jam with real fruit pieces for extra texture.
Variations
I love that this Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe is so adaptable. You can switch things up easily depending on what you have on hand or your mood.
- Gluten-free variation: I’ve swapped plain flour for a gluten-free blend a few times, and it still works well; just be sure to chill the dough a bit longer before rolling.
- Berry mix-in: For a fun twist, try adding a bit of freeze-dried raspberry powder to the glaze for a tangy contrast.
- Chocolate drizzle: My family goes crazy when I drizzle melted dark chocolate over the glazed cookies for an extra touch of decadence.
- Simple glazed cookies: If you want to skip the jam filling, just dip each heart in the strawberry glaze—easy and equally delicious.
How to Make Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar Until Light and Fluffy
This is where the magic begins. Using unsalted, room temperature butter helps you cream it smoothly with the caster sugar. I use my stand mixer’s paddle attachment on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Don’t forget to scrape down the bowl halfway through to mix it evenly. It really makes a difference in texture — I discovered that uneven creaming leads to cookies that can feel dense.
Step 2: Add Flour and Salt to Form the Dough
Once the butter and sugar are perfectly creamed, sift in the plain flour and add the fine salt. Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. It’ll seem crumbly and ragged at first — that’s normal! You’ll know it’s ready when it starts to clean the sides of the bowl and clumps in the middle. I always press it gently with my hands to shape it into a disc, which helps with rolling out later.
Step 3: Roll Out Dough and Cut Heart Shapes
Lightly flour your surface and roll your dough out to about ½ cm thickness. If your dough feels too soft or sticky, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for 10-15 minutes — this makes rolling much more manageable. I found that chilling the dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven, keeping those heart shapes crisp and beautiful. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out your cookies, flouring the cutter first to avoid sticking. Gather scraps and carefully re-roll once or twice, adding a drop of water if the dough starts drying out.
Step 4: Chill the Cutouts and Bake
Don’t skip the chilling step! Refrigerate your cut cookies for at least 30 minutes. This step helped me avoid any frustrating cookie-spread in the oven and keeps those gorgeous shapes intact. Preheat your oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges just start to turn golden. Keep a close eye during the last few minutes — ovens vary, and you don’t want overbaked or too pale cookies. Cool them on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Step 5: Prepare Strawberry Glaze and Assemble Cookies
In a bowl, stir together powdered icing sugar, mashed strawberries (or puree), melted butter, and a bit of milk to loosen the glaze to your preferred consistency. It should be thick and smooth but easy enough to coat your cookie tops. If needed, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave softens it up nicely. I always dip the top heart-shaped cookies in the glaze, let excess drip off, then set them aside to dry a bit on a rack.
Step 6: Fill and Sandwich Your Cookies
Once the glaze is set but still tacky, spoon or pipe a teaspoon of strawberry jam on the underside of the plain shortbread bases and gently sandwich with the glazed tops. That combination of buttery shortbread, sweet jam, and strawberry glaze is just dreamy. Whether you eat them right away or let them sit at room temp for the flavors to meld, these cookies are pure bliss.
Pro Tips for Making Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Chill Twice for Perfect Shape: I learned chilling the dough before rolling and the cut cookies after cutting helps prevent spreading and keeps those hearts sharp.
- Flour Your Cookie Cutter: Keeps the dough from sticking, so you don’t lose the shape trying to pry the cookie out. Game changer!
- Adjust Glaze Consistency Slowly: Add milk or lemon juice one teaspoon at a time; you want that thick, clingy glaze, not runny.
- Watch Your Bake Time Closely: My oven tends to run hot, so I check cookies a couple minutes early—nobody wants burnt edges on their delicate shortbread.
How to Serve Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep things simple and let the natural strawberry glaze shine, but topping the cookies with a tiny fresh strawberry slice or a light dusting of powdered sugar adds a pretty finish — especially when you’re serving them up for a brunch or tea party.
Side Dishes
These cookies go wonderfully with a hot cup of tea or fresh lemonade. If you’re hosting brunch, I like pairing them with a berry fruit salad or even light whipped cream on the side—just enough to complement but not overpower that buttery crunch.
Creative Ways to Present
For Valentine’s or Mother’s Day, I arrange these cookies in a pretty tin lined with parchment, or place them standing in a glass jar layered with red and pink tissue paper. I once strung them on red ribbon as edible garlands for a party centerpiece—guests loved it and it made for a memorable display!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. From my experience, they stay fresh and maintain that tender crumb for up to a week. Just avoid stacking them too tightly so the glaze doesn’t get smushed.
Freezing
If you want to prepare ahead, undecorated shortbread cookies freeze beautifully. I place parchment paper between layers in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready, thaw overnight on the counter, then add the glaze and jam filling fresh for the best flavor and texture.
Reheating
Reheating glazed and filled cookies isn’t really necessary, but if you prefer them slightly warm, place them in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F) for 3-5 minutes—just be careful not to melt the glaze or jam. Otherwise, they’re delicious enjoyed straight from the container!
FAQs
-
Can I use frozen strawberries for the glaze?
Yes! If fresh strawberries aren’t available, thaw your frozen strawberries and mash them well to make the puree. You might need to strain some excess juice to keep the glaze from becoming too runny.
-
What if I don’t have a heart-shaped cookie cutter?
No worries—you can use any small cookie cutter you like or even shape the dough into hearts freehand with a knife. Just remember to chill the dough well to keep clean edges.
-
Can I make these vegan or dairy-free?
Absolutely. Substitute the butter with a high-quality vegan butter and use a plant-based milk in the glaze. The texture might vary slightly, but it’s still delicious!
-
How long do these cookies last?
When stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, they keep well for up to 1 week. Beyond that, the strawberry glaze might start to soften, but they usually don’t last that long anyway!
Final Thoughts
I absolutely love how this Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe comes together—there’s something so satisfying about buttery classic shortbread paired with fresh strawberry sweetness, all wrapped up in adorable heart shapes. When I first tried this recipe, it quickly became a hit with my family and friends; the fact that it’s straightforward enough for even casual bakers is just the icing on the cake. I hope you’ll find joy baking and sharing these cookies as much as I do—grab your rolling pin and heart cutters and get started, because these treats are simply irresistible!
Print
Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 12 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
Description
These delightful Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies combine buttery, tender shortbread with a luscious strawberry glaze and jam filling. Perfect for special occasions or a sweet treat, the cookies are made with simple ingredients, chilled for shape retention, baked to a delicate golden edge, and then lovingly assembled with a fresh strawberry glaze and sweet jam for an irresistible bite.
Ingredients
Basic Shortbread:
- 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 60 g caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 180 g plain flour (all-purpose)
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
Strawberry Filling and Glaze:
- 110 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
- 2 tablespoons strawberry puree (from 2 large strawberries, hulled and mashed)
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
- 30 ml milk
- 170 g strawberry jam
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and caster sugar and cream them together for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed until pale and light. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.
- Combine Flour and Salt: Sift in the plain flour and add the fine salt, then mix on low speed until combined and the dough begins to come together. The dough will look raggedy but is ready when it cleans the sides of the bowl and clumps in the middle. Squeeze the dough by hand into a rough disc shape.
- Roll Out Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ½ cm (¼ inch) thickness. If the dough is too soft, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or longer until slightly firm to roll without cracking or sticking.
- Cut and Chill Cookies: Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out cookies. Place cutouts on parchment-lined baking trays. Gather scraps, re-roll, and cut additional cookies as needed, avoiding overworking the dough. Refrigerate the cutouts for at least 30 minutes until firm to ensure they retain shape during baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F). Bake the chilled cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges turn just golden. Cool cookies on the baking tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Glaze: In a bowl, combine powdered icing sugar, strawberry puree, melted butter, and stir until smooth. If too thick, microwave for up to 10 seconds to loosen or add milk/ lemon juice/ water a little at a time to reach a perfect consistency.
- Glaze the Cookie Tops: Separate cookies into two equal groups (‘tops’ and ‘bases’). Dip the ‘top’ hearts into the strawberry glaze, letting excess drip off. Place on a wire rack or baking tray to set.
- Assemble Sandwich Cookies: Spoon or pipe about one teaspoon of strawberry jam onto the underside of each ‘base’ cookie. Gently sandwich with a glazed ‘top’ cookie. Serve immediately or let sit at room temperature to allow jam and glaze to set fully.
Notes
- Step-by-Step Photos: Visit the blog post for helpful photos guiding you through each step.
- Without Fresh Strawberries: Substitute with 1 tablespoon strawberry jam or 1-2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberries in the glaze.
- Alternative Serving: Instead of sandwiches, dip each heart in glaze for a simple treat.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freezing: Freeze undecorated shortbread in a freezer-safe container layered with parchment for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before filling and glazing.
- Tip 1: Re-roll the dough scraps carefully to maximize cookie yield but avoid overworking.
- Tip 2: Flour cookie cutters to prevent sticking and preserve cookie shape.
- Tip 3: Refrigerate dough cutouts before baking to prevent spreading.
- Tip 4: Monitor bake time closely as ovens vary; a minute or two makes a difference with short baking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
