Celebrate Valentine's Day with these cute heart jam cookies! They're easy to make and irresistibly delicious and sure to impress!
Heart-shaped jam cookies are a fun twist on classic sugar cookies. They're buttery, sweet, and filled with fruity strawberry jam-kind of like a fancier version of thumbprint cookies. Instead of pressing your thumb into the dough, you cut out heart shapes, sandwich them with jam, and they come out looking as good as they taste.
These cookies are perfect for Valentine's Day, but honestly, you can make them for any occasion-or no occasion at all. They're easy to whip up, and they're always a hit. Whether you're sharing them with friends or keeping them all to yourself, these cookies are just plain fun to make and eat.
Love easy cookies? Try my Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Sandwich Cookies, my Cookie Butter Cookies, or my Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Pretty: These heart cookies are perfect for holidays, gifts, or special occasions.
- Super Easy: Just a few basic ingredients and simple steps make this recipe a breeze-even for beginners!
- Customizable: Swap the jam flavor to suit your preferences.
- Delicious: You'll love the combination of buttery cookies and jam! They're so good together!
What you need to make this recipe
Ingredients for heart jam cookies
- Flour - You'll need all purpose flour.
- Cornstarch: It really adds softness and creates a tender cookie that melts in your mouth.
- Baking powder: Gives a slight lift to the cookies without making them too puffy.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter, at room temperature. It's the key to a rich flavor.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar for the cookies and powdered sugar for dusting after they're baked.
- Egg: You only need 1 medium egg.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract for the perfect aromatic flavor.
- Strawberry jam: I use my own homemade strawberry jam recipe for the filling for the best flavor. You can use store-bought jam, if you prefer.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for quantities.
Equipment you'll need
- mixing bowls
- hand mixer
- rolling pin
- cookie guides
- heart-shaped cookie cutters
- baking sheets or cookie sheets
- parchment paper
- cooling rack
How to make Heart Jam Cookies
Step-by-step Instructions
1. Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together until well-combined.
3. Add the egg and the vanilla and mix.
4. Add the flour gradually and beat on low speed until combined. It will look crumbly, but this is normal.
5. Squeeze the crumbles together to form a large ball of dough.
6. Divide the dough in half and roll each portion between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Then put it in the freezer for 10 minutes.
7. Take it out of the freezer and cut out heart shapes with cookie cutters.
8. Then bake and let them cool.
Spread about ½ teaspoon of jam on the flat side of each whole cookie (the ones without the heart-shaped cutouts). Dust a heart-cutout cookie with powdered sugar and place it on top of the jam.
Recipe notes
Storage Tips & Freezing Instructions
- Storage: Store the assembled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate leftovers (up to 1 week).
- Freezing Dough: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before rolling and baking.
- Freezing Cookies: Freeze the baked cookies (without jam) in a sealed container for up to 2 months. Thaw, assemble, and enjoy!
Variations
- Chocolate-Dipped: Dip the edges of the cookies in melted chocolate and let them set for a decadent touch.
- Nutty: Sprinkle finely chopped nuts on the jam before sandwiching.
- Spiced Cookies: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the dough for extra flavor.
- Different Shapes: Experiment with other cookie cutter shapes for different occasions.
Tips for success
- Chill the Dough: This prevents the cookies from spreading while baking.
- Roll Evenly: Use spacers or guides to ensure uniform thickness.
- Don't Overbake: Remove the cookies as soon as the edges turn lightly golden to keep them tender.
- Use High-Quality Jam: A good jam makes a big difference in flavor.
- Let Cookies Cool Completely: Assembling warm cookies can cause the jam to melt and make a mess.
Frequently asked questions
I like rolling out the dough to about ¼ inch thick as it works best for sturdier and more tender cookies. You could also make them ½ an inch thick for much softer cookies.
Absolutely! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days or freeze it for about 2 months.
You can use any filling you like! I love these cookies with Nutella, Lotus Biscoff spread (cookie butter), and peanut butter, too.
If you don't have a heart cookie cutter, you can create a DIY template by drawing a heart shape on thick paper or cardboard and cutting around it with a knife. Alternatively, you can freehand the heart shape using a sharp knife for a rustic look.
More cookie recipes to try!
Happy Baking!
Did you make this recipe? If so, please let me know how it turned out and leave a rating and review below! I'd love to hear from you! ❤️
Recipe
Easy Heart Jam Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus extra if needed (280g)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (25g)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (170g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- 1 medium egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ -⅓ cup strawberry jam (83-110g)
- powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Before You Start:
For best results, please read through the full post before beginning the recipe.
Instructions
- Line two baking trays with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus extra if needed (280g), ¼ cup cornstarch (25g), ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (170g), ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.1 medium egg, at room temperature, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together. If the dough feels too sticky, add more flour, one tablespoon at a time.
- Squeeze the crumbles together to form a large piece of dough. Divide it into two equal portions.
- Roll out one portion of the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of ¼ inch (0.6 cm).
- Place the rolled-out dough (with the parchment paper) on a flat surface in the freezer for 10 minutes (I slid it on a cutting board). Repeat with the second portion of dough.
- While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C.
- Remove one portion of dough from the freezer. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out an equal number of solid hearts and hearts with smaller cutouts in the center. For every solid heart, create a corresponding heart with the cutout.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches (about 8cm) between each. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Bake one tray at a time for even results.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Spread about ½ teaspoon of strawberry jam on each solid heart cookie. Dust the cutout cookies with powdered sugar, if desired, and gently place it on top of the cookie with the jam to create a sandwich.¼ -⅓ cup strawberry jam (83-110g)
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure the dough remains cold while working; re-chill it if it softens too much.
- Leftover dough scraps can be re-rolled and cut for additional cookies.
- The number of cookies will depend on the size of your cookie cutters. Mine were about 3.5 inches (9cm).
Diane
These cookies were phenomenal! The whole family loved them! The instructions were easy to follow and clear. This recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you! 😊
Voula
That's wonderful to hear, thank you! So happy you enjoyed them!😊❤️
Liz
I really liked them, but some of my family members said they were a little too hard. Is there a way to soften the cookie a bit or should I bake them a bit less next time?
Voula
Thanks so much! I’m really glad you liked them! 😊 These are meant to be a bit crisp since they’re rolled out to about ¼ inch thick. For a softer texture, roll the dough out to about ½ inch thick next time. Because the cookies are thicker, the baking time may need an extra 2–3 minutes, just until the edges are set. I also have another sugar cookie recipe with the same base, but it’s rolled out thicker and turns out much softer. The recipe is for my chocolate dipped sugar cookies. I hope that helps! Let me know how it goes if you make them again. ❤️
Liz
Oh, I'll definitely try them again. I really liked them and I found them easy to make. Plus, they turn out so pretty with the heart jam centre :))
I plan on making them for Valentine's day again. I'll follow your advice and see how it goes. Thanks!
Voula
So happy you enjoyed them! 💕 They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day baking.
anna
Just next time, bake them for less time or add more butter.
Liz
I made them again for Valentine's Day, as I said in a previous comment of mine, and they turned out great! I mixed a little brown sugar into the granulated sugar to achieve a softer cookie. I also added cocoa powder to one half of the dough. Kinda eyeballed it but regardless, I'm happy with the result :))
Voula
Aww this made me so happy! 💕 I’m so glad they turned out great again for Valentine’s Day. Thanks so much for sharing! 😊
Kathy
Hi there. A strange question I know, but how do you store them so that the icing sugar doesn't rub off? Does wax paper btw them work?
Voula
Hi! Thanks so much for your question, it's not strange at all! 😊 The best way to store them is in a single layer, if possible, to keep the powdered sugar looking nice. If you need to stack them, wax paper between the layers definitely helps, but some sugar may still rub off. You could also dust them again right before serving for the prettiest finish! Hope that helps! 😊💕