These pretty Jam Tart Cookies are a dressed up version of traditional jam tarts. They are easy to bake, delicious treats, and can be filled with your favourite jam!
Jam tarts are a perfect recipe for beginner bakers. These jam tart cookies are a fun take on the classic jam tarts. They are simple to make and so delicious too! These cookies can be cut out in any shape and filled with your favourite jam or marmalade.
The shortcrust pastry for these jam tart cookies requires only a handful of ingredients and is so easy to come together and bake. As someone who is not a big fan of jam, I find myself baking with jam and actually enjoying it!
These sweet and buttery cookies only require 15 minutes of bake time and a bit of sugar dusting, and make simple but delicious tea time treats. And since Valentine's day is on the way, why not make these heart-shaped jam tart cookies?
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Ingredients and Variations
For the pastry part of these Jam Tart Cookies, you will need:
- All-purpose flour - Ideally, weigh this using digital kitchen scales for accuracy.
- Unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cubed.
- Granulated or caster sugar.
- Egg whites - use room temperature egg whites.
- Vanilla Extract for flavouring.
- A pinch of salt to balance sweetness.
For the filling, use your favorite jam or marmalade.
Fill these up with a flavoured jam of your choice and dust with powdered sugar as desired.
How to Make Jam Tart Cookies
- Sift and mix dry ingredients (flour and salt).
- Mix flour, butter, salt, and sugar to form a crumbly mixture. You can do this using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using your hands.
- Add the egg whites and vanilla extract and mix to form a smooth non-stick dough.
- Divide the dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap or cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll out the chilled pastry to ⅛" thickness on a lightly floured work surface. Cut out cookie shapes using your favourite cookie cutter. You should ideally use two sizes and cut out a "window" using the small cookie cutter of the same shape. You can also use a linzer cookie cutter set.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of jam on the bottom part of the dough and place the "cut out" dough on top, to sandwich the cookies together. Do not overfill the cookies with jam.
- Place cookies on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch space between each one.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C (350F) for 12 to 18 minutes or until the sides turn slightly golden brown. You can also bake bits of cut-out centers!
- Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before serving. Be careful of hot jam!
- Dust with icing/powdered sugar and serve!
Tips for the Best Jam Tart Cookies
- Make sure to chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. This will make the pastry easier to roll out and prevent it from shrinking during baking.
- When mixing butter, sugar and flour, do so until the mixture starts to resemble breadcrumbs. You can use either your hands or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for this step.
- If the dough doesn't come together when mixing once you add the egg white, add a teaspoon of cold water. Do not add too much water or the dough will become too sticky. If this happens, add some flour.
- Roll out the dough to around ⅛" thick. Remember you'll be "sandwiching" the pastry and you don't want cookies which are too thick.
- When cutting and shaping the dough, I like to use two same-shape cookie cutters in different sizes. Use the larger cookie cutter to cut out the base and top parts, and use the smaller cutter to cut out a "window" from the top part. You can use any cookie cutter set of your choice.
- Do not overfill the cookie with jam or jam will flow from the top or sides of your cookie while baking. Try to place some jam in the center and only tiny bit at the sides which will help the two pastry pieces stick together.
- Make sure to let the jam tart cookies cool completely before serving as jam will remain hot for quite some time and can burn your mouth!
Making Ahead and Storing
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
These jam tart cookies can also be frozen, in a freezer-safe container, for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Jam Tart Cookies
Ingredients
- 140 g unsalted butter room temperature and cubed (⅝ cup)
- 250 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 4 tbsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 egg whites
- 10 tbsp. fruit jam or marmalade
- 2 tbsp. powdered sugar optional, for dusting
Instructions
- Place cubed butter, flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. You can also use your hands to rub the butter into the flour for this step.
- Add egg whites and vanilla extract and mix until dough is formed. (If dough doesn't stick together, add 2-4 tsp. of cold water, 1 tsp at a time and mix). If the dough is too sticky, add some flour.
- Split the dough into two discs, place each piece in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350F) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to ⅛" thickness. Use a cookie cutter of choice to cut out cookie dough (2 for each cookie). Use a smaller cookie cutter of choice to cut out a window out of half of the cookies. Place 1 tsp. of fruit jam (or marmalade) on the whole cookie dough and place cut-out cookie dough on top. Do not overfill with jam. Repeat for each cookie and transfer to baking sheet.
- Bake for 12-18 minutes (depending on thickness) until cookies are slightly golden brown at the edges.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to finish off cooling and sprinkle with powdered sugar as desired. Let the jam cool down before serving.
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