Fun Strawberry Cookies

These cookies are what happens when you have bored kids and a craving for something sweet. We had some strawberry preserves sitting in the fridge, so I figured, let’s try to mix up our own version of those pop tarts the kids always want from the store. Turns out, it was just what we needed to turn a gloomy afternoon around! Ever since then, friends and family ask for these all the time: birthdays, potlucks, you name it. There’s something about that flaky buttery cookie, gooey strawberry middle, and a drizzle of sweet glaze that makes everyone light up. And honestly, they’re buckets better than anything out of a box.

I took a batch to my nephew’s birthday last summer, and my phone was blowing up with texts after midnight. My sister-in-law wanted the details because her husband had already polished off everything but the crumbs. My son’s teacher requested them for a class party, after tasting one at a bake sale. Seems like that mix of old-school flavor in a new treat makes folks go a little wild. I’ve seen grown-ups battle for the last one.

Yummy Ingredients

• Make sure your butter is nice and soft — don’t skip this, or you’ll wrestle with stiff dough that’s no fun to shape
• A splash of almond extract adds bakery magic that makes folks guess what your secret is
• Cornstarch goes in both the cookie base and filling to keep things tender and stop the jam from leaking everywhere
• Strawberry preserves (with real fruit) — not jelly — make all the difference for juicy bites and a special look
• Vanilla glaze should be just thick enough to stay put but thin enough to flow — too runny and it’ll drip off, too stiff and it clumps up

Save

Simple Guide

Letting the mixer do its job makes all the difference.

Don’t cut corners. Beating butter and sugar the full three minutes gives you fluffy dough that bakes up just right. If you rush, the cookies might spread everywhere.

Icy jam is the move for perfect filling.

I learned to blend cornstarch into the preserves and freeze it briefly so it doesn’t gush out in the oven. That short freezer trip saves a load of trouble.

Closing up the cookies gets easier with a little water.

I used to overfill and seal them sloppily, which meant jam explosions. Now I dip my fingers in water to seal them tight without sticking.

To get bakery-style shapes, swirl them right when they’re hot.

My grandma always spun a cup around her sugar cookies, so I do the same — just circle a big cutter around each fresh one. They look so polished after a quick swirl.

When mixing icing, add the cream slowly, not all at once.

I’ve dumped the liquid in too fast and paid for it with runny messes. Just drizzle and stir till it’s thick but spreadable. Heavy cream is best, but milk works if you’re out.

My first batch was pretty comical — jam ran everywhere, the shapes were odd, and the bottoms turned a little too dark. But they tasted so good, I kept playing around until I nailed the method. Turns out, a little underbaking is the trick for keeping them perfectly soft. Other jams like raspberry and blackberry totally work too, or you can really shake things up with a chocolate hazelnut middle. So good.

Perfect Matches

I love setting these out with a bowl of fresh strawberries, or passing them around with cold milk for that classic cookie-and-milk hit. For fancier stuff, a pretty platter with fruit skewers and donut bites looks great at a brunch. Kids’ parties? Stack them up with other pink sweets for a cute display. For grown-ups, try them with coffee or go all-in with a glass of bubbly — the sweet-tart bite and champagne combo is a win.

Fun Spins

Raspberry preserves make these a little tangy and awesome, while apricot brings a mellow sweetness grown-ups can’t resist. In fall, apple butter plus a pinch of cinnamon and caramel drizzle makes them cozy and special. Around the holidays, a dash of crushed freeze-dried strawberries in the icing gives more color and punch — and matching sprinkles for the season are so fun. Chocolate chips with the berry filling taste just like those fancy chocolate-dipped strawberries — my family flips for them.

New Ways

You can stash these in a covered container at room temp for about three days before the glaze softens too much. Need to keep them longer? Add parchment between layers so nothing sticks. I always freeze a few unbaked, filled cookie balls — double the batch and you’ve got treats for later. Just bake right from frozen, adding a couple minutes. Even plain dough stays good in the fridge, ready to go for up to three days.

Save

We keep making these over and over — they’ve become our family’s go-to for parties, rainy days, or just because. It’s fun taking something you loved as a kid and giving it a real flavor upgrade. My kids actually ask for these way more than the store-bought ones, which feels like a total win! Sprinkles are my daughter’s thing (sometimes the cookies are more sprinkle than cookie), while my son is a pro at getting the jam filling just right now. Who knew one lazy afternoon would kick off a new family favorite everyone now expects at gatherings?

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I try a different jam flavor?

Of course! Swap in raspberry, blueberry, or even apricot for a fun twist. Just don’t skip mixing it with cornstarch to make it thicken up properly.

→ Why are my cookies spreading too much?

Chill the cookies in the fridge for about 15-20 minutes before baking, and make sure you’re not using butter that’s too soft in the dough.

→ Can I prep these in advance?

Yep! You can shape the cookies and freeze them unbaked for up to a month. When you’re ready, bake straight from frozen and just add a few extra minutes to the bake time.

→ What’s the best way to store these treats?

Keep them in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. If you need them to last longer, pop them in the fridge for up to a week, though the glaze might go a bit soft.

→ Why reshape the cookies after baking?

It gives them that cute, clean pop-tart look! Cookies naturally spread, so a quick trim with a cutter or bowl makes them neat and tidy.