Strawberry Pop Tart Cookies
Soft, buttery sugar cookies made with sour cream dough, stuffed with a glossy, cornstarch-thickened strawberry jam filling, and topped with smooth milk icing and colorful rainbow sanding sugar.
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
- piping bag fitted with a small, round tip
- two 15x10x1-in. parchment-lined baking sheets
- Offset spatula
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup seedless strawberry jam
- 1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1-1/2 tablespoons water
DOUGH
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
TOPPING
- 1-1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- Rainbow sanding sugar for garnish
Instructions
- Bring the strawberry jam to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan, stir in the cornstarch whisked with water in a separate bowl, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes with occasional stirring before transferring the filling to a bowl. The slurry initially makes the jam cloudy, but the cooked mixture should become glossy and translucent as it thickens.
- Beat the butter and sugar with the stand mixer’s paddle for 3 to 5 minutes, incorporate the whole egg and extra yolk thoroughly, then blend in the sour cream and vanilla. The creamed butter should look lighter and fluffy before the eggs go in, and the finished wet mixture should look evenly combined.
- Whisk the flour, dough cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large separate bowl, then feed this mixture gradually into the mixer on low speed. Stop as soon as the flour disappears so the dough stays tender rather than becoming overworked.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or overnight, then put the cooled filling into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip and keep it chilled until shaping. The dough should feel firm enough to flatten and lift, while the filling should hold a mound rather than run across the dough.
- Portion the dough into 2 tablespoonfuls, press each portion into a 3-inch disc with a shallow center, pipe in 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling, lift and pinch the edges closed, then place each pouch seam down on two parchment-lined 15x10x1-inch baking sheets at least 2 inches apart and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. Each sealed cookie should completely surround the jam without an open seam or a visibly thin patch.
- Heat the oven to 350°F, bake the chilled cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, and remove the sheets promptly when the cookies are done, leaving them on the sheets for 10 minutes to cool. Look for lightly golden edges and pale centers that appear set, rather than waiting for the entire cookie to brown.
- Whisk the confectioners’ sugar with the milk until smooth, spread 2 teaspoons of icing over each cookie with a spoon back or offset spatula, immediately add a generous pinch of rainbow sanding sugar, and leave the topping to set for 10 minutes. The icing should form an even layer, with the sanding sugar clinging to its still-wet surface.
Notes
Filling tip: Raw cornstarch requires stovetop heat to thicken the jam properly; cook the slurry until the cloudy mixture turns glossy and translucent, then cool and chill it before piping.
Shaping tip: Press each dough portion into a shallow bowl with a thicker bottom, pipe in 1 to 2 teaspoons of jam, and gently gather and pinch the edges shut like a pouch without stretching the dough thin.
Doneness cue: Remove the baking sheets when the cookie edges look lightly golden and the centers appear pale but set, as waiting for browned centers can make the cookies dry.
Storage: Let the cookies cool and the icing set completely before storing them in a tightly covered container with parchment paper between layers, kept away from heat and humidity.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.