Heart Jam Cookies

Featured in Sweet Treats and Baked Delights.

These Heart Jam Cookies are the perfect blend of buttery sweetness and tart raspberry jam. Each cookie features a delicate heart-shaped indent filled with vibrant jam, making them as beautiful as they are delicious. The cookie base combines the richness of butter with a perfect balance of vanilla and almond extracts, while cornstarch ensures a melt-in-your-mouth texture. With just 20 minutes of prep and 11 minutes of baking time, these cookies come together easily, though they do require a brief chill time. They're ideal for Valentine's Day gifting, special occasions, or any time you want to share a heart-shaped treat.
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Updated on Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:08:48 GMT
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These charming heart jam cookies combine buttery shortbread with sweet raspberry preserves to create the perfect Valentine's treat. Each cookie features a delicate heart-shaped well filled with glistening jam, making them as beautiful as they are delicious. After perfecting this recipe through many holiday seasons, I've discovered the secrets to achieving that perfect jam-to-cookie ratio.

The first time I made these for my daughter's class party, watching the children's faces light up at the heart shapes made all the careful preparation worthwhile.

Essential Ingredients Guide

  • Unsalted butter: Must be perfectly softened for proper creaming
  • Fresh egg yolks: Add richness and tender texture
  • Quality jam: Choose thick preserves that won't run
  • Pure extracts: Both vanilla and almond enhance flavor
  • Cornstarch: Creates that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture

Creating Your Cookies

Perfect The Dough:
Cream butter and sugars until truly light and fluffy, taking a full 2-3 minutes. This crucial step creates the ideal texture.
Form The Hearts:
Create uniform wells using consistent pressure. The depth should be perfect - not too shallow, not too deep.
Fill With Care:
Warm jam slightly for easier filling. Use precise measurements to prevent overflow during baking.
Monitor The Bake:
Watch edges carefully for golden brown color while centers remain slightly soft.

My first batch taught me that patience during the chilling process is crucial - rushing leads to spread cookies and messy hearts.

Perfect Your Presentation

Create stunning cookie platters by:
Arranging cookies in a heart shape
Alternating different jam colors
Adding light dusting of powdered sugar
Using coordinating serving plates

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Creative Variations

Transform these cookies by:
Using strawberry jam for pink hearts
Adding citrus zest to dough
Rolling edges in sugar before baking
Drizzling with white chocolate

Storage Solutions

Maintain freshness by:
Storing with wax paper between layers
Keeping in airtight containers
Freezing unfilled cookies up to 3 months
Bringing to room temperature before serving

Temperature Management

Perfect your bake through:
Maintaining oven at exactly 375°F
Chilling dough for precisely 30 minutes
Warming jam to 85°F for ideal consistency
Bringing butter to 65°F before creaming

Dough Science

Master texture through:
Understanding protein development in flour
Controlling gluten formation while mixing
Managing fat-to-flour ratio
Achieving proper emulsion during creaming
Testing dough consistency before chilling

Heart Formation Techniques

Create perfect impressions by:
Using measured pressure for consistent depth
Creating template for uniform hearts
Working quickly while dough is cold
Smoothing edges with gentle finger pressure

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Easy Heart Jam Cookies Recipe | homedeliciousrecipes.com

Production Line Efficiency

For large batches:
Prepare multiple dough batches in advance
Set up assembly line style workspace
Rotate cookie sheets through chilling process
Organize jam filling station efficiently

Quality Control

Ensure consistency through:
Weighing dough balls precisely
Checking heart depth uniformity
Monitoring jam fill levels
Inspecting edges for spreading

The art of these cookies lies in understanding how each element contributes to the final product. Whether making them for a Valentine's party or special someone, these heart-shaped treats carry messages of love in every bite.

Remember, creating perfect jam cookies isn't just about following steps - it's about developing an intuition for the dough and understanding how temperature affects each stage of the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I use different types of jam?
Yes, any flavor jam works well. Just ensure it's not too runny.
→ Why do the cookies need to be chilled?
Chilling helps maintain the heart shape and prevents spreading during baking.
→ Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes, freeze unfilled cookies up to 3 months. Add jam after thawing.
→ Can I skip the almond extract?
Yes, you can omit it or replace with additional vanilla extract.
→ Why did my jam bubble over?
Don't overfill the hearts, and ensure jam isn't too hot when added.

Heart Jam Cookies

Delicate butter cookies with heart-shaped indents filled with sweet raspberry jam, creating the perfect Valentine's Day treat or special occasion cookie.

Prep Time
20 Minutes
Cook Time
11 Minutes
Total Time
31 Minutes

Category: Desserts & Baking

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 20 Servings (20 cookies)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

→ Dry Ingredients

01 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
02 2 teaspoons cornstarch
03 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
05 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
06 1/3 cup granulated sugar
07 1 large egg yolk
08 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

→ Filling

10 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Instructions

Step 01

Line two 13x9 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl.

Step 02

Cream butter and sugars until light and creamy. Mix in egg yolk, vanilla, and almond extract. Gradually add dry ingredients.

Step 03

Form 1 tablespoon dough balls, place on sheets 2 inches apart. Press heart shape into tops with pinky finger. Freeze 30 minutes or refrigerate 1 hour.

Step 04

Heat jam until runny. Fill heart indents with about 1/2 teaspoon jam each.

Step 05

Bake at 375°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on sheet, then transfer to cooling rack.

Notes

  1. Can add citrus zest to dough for extra flavor
  2. Optional to roll dough in sugar before shaping
  3. Keeps for 1 week at room temperature or 2 weeks refrigerated

Tools You'll Need

  • Two 13x9 baking sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • Stand mixer or hand mixer
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Cooling rack

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains wheat (flour)
  • Contains dairy (butter)
  • Contains eggs
  • Contains tree nuts (almond extract)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 234
  • Total Fat: 10 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 33 g
  • Protein: 3 g