These strawberry sugar cookies are the perfect summer treat! Soft and buttery sugar cookie dough is swirled with strawberry jam and baked to perfection. Each bite has the perfect balance of melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie with a ribbon of delicious strawberry jam.
How to make strawberry sugar cookies
I love nothing more than the classic combination of strawberries and sweet cream, or more broadly – strawberries and something sweet and vanilla.
This combination idea is what created these strawberry jam sugar cookies. Soft and buttery sugar cookies just seemed like the perfect base for a strawberry addition. But to get the MOST strawberry flavor, I opted for strawberry jam rather than fresh strawberries. Jam is like a fruity flavor bomb, so it works PERFECT in these cookies.
It took quite a bit of testing to figure out how best to incorporate the jam into these cookies. I stuffed them, I baked it on top, and I even threw in some freeze dried strawberries to the mix.
In the end, the best most delicious way to make strawberry sugar cookies was to swirl the jam right into the dough.
This recipe makes a very soft and buttery cookie dough which makes it the perfect consistency for swirling in our jam. When the dough is done, dollops of jam are plopped all throughout the bowl of dough.
Then, using a rubber spatula, the jam is gently folded into the dough to create ribbons of strawberry throughout. The key here is to only fold about 3-4 times, just enough to disperse the jam without fully mixing it in.
Once scooped, you’re left with cookie dough balls with thick ripples of jam all throughout!
Tips for making strawberry jam sugar cookies
- Flour – I always say to measure the flour if you can. If a scale isn’t available, gently spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off for a light and fluffy cup of flour. Never scoop directly down into the flour as this packs it down into the cup, leaving you with way too much excess flour in the dough.
- Mixing – When mixing the sugar cookie dough, mix gently once the dry ingredients are added. Too much mixing can lead to a tough cookie.
- Strawberry Jam – Although these are called strawberry JAM sugar cookies, we are actually using strawberry preserves. This is typically made with fresh whole berries and very minimal ingredients, so it provides the best flavor and texture for these cookies. As an added tip – chill the preserves overnight for easy mixing.
- Swirling – When working the jam into the cookies, use a rubber spatula and gently fold 3-4 times max. Fold just enough to disperse the jam throughout the dough, but not too much to where it fully blends in.
- Scooping – These cookies are made with a large 2 oz cookie scoop (aka in ice cream scoop). So when scooping out the dough, pay attention to where the jam is at. Scoop to where most of the jam as at the bottom of the scoop so that when the dough is turned out, a swirl of jam is revealed on top. Also scoop in one swift motion as to not disrupt the swirls in the dough.
- Chilling – This is a very soft and buttery dough, so it must chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. It will feel wrong, but chill the cookies uncovered. This helps dry out the cookies just a bit so that they can spread nice and even once baked.
Strawberry Sugar Cookies FAQs
Use strawberry preserves with chunks of fresh strawberries. This provides the best flavor and spread.
I suggest sticking with a large 2 oz scoop as those strawberry ribbons need as much surface area as they can get.
Sure! Use your preferred flavor, just make sure it’s a preserve.
Yes, in fact the longer the better. Chill for one night uncovered, but then cover the dough to chill for even longer. The dough will keep for about a week in the fridge.
I haven’t tried it, but I think it could work. After the dough has chilled overnight, place the balls into a freezer storage bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before baking.
If you’re scooping out the dough but it’s too thin to hold its shape, it could be that the butter was too hot from the start. Allow the dough to chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes and then try scooping again.
For more strawberry dessert recipes, check out my:
- Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars
- Strawberry Pizza
- Strawberry Sheet Cake
- Strawberry Pop Tart Shortbread
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram or leave a comment below if you make these strawberry sugar cookies. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
Watch how to make these strawberry sugar cookies:
Strawberry Jam Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 large cookies
Description
These strawberry sugar cookies were inspired by a delicious combination of sweet strawberries and smooth vanilla! Soft and buttery sugar cookie dough is swirled with fruity strawberry jam and baked to soft and tender perfection. With ribbons of jam throughout each cookie, each bite is met with soft cookie and jammy strawberry.
Ingredients
Strawberry Jam Sugar Cookies
- 2 1/2 cups (330g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 1/4 cup (225g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 heaping cup strawberry preserves, chilled overnight
Instructions
Strawberry Jam Sugar Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. It will be very liquid.
- Then vigorously whisk in the egg and egg yolk (about 1 minute of whisking) followed by the vanilla).
- Switch to a rubber spatula and dump in the dry ingredients. Gently mix and fold the dough to fully combine.
- When the dough is smooth and combined, plop in spoonfuls of preserves throughout the bowl of dough.
- Using the rubber spatula, gently fold the dough 3-4 times max. Fold just enough to disperse ribbons of strawberry throughout the dough but not too much to where the preserves fully mix in.
- With a large 2 oz cookie scoop (aka ice cream scoop), scoop up the dough in one swift motion and plop onto a plate or small pan lined with parchment paper. When scooping, pay attention to where the jam is at. Try to include most of the jam at the bottom of the scoop so that when it’s turned out, you’re left with a thick ribbon of jam on top if each cookie dough ball.
- Then place the uncovered dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- To bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and place 3-4 cookie dough balls well spaced apart.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the center looks puffed but slightly underdone.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a minute or two, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- The cookies are best when they’re just SLIGHTLY warm, so cool as needed and enjoy!
Equipment
Buy Now → - Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 4 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Yesterday I prepared this recipe exactly as written including chill overnight tip. I used standard grocery store butter and a good quality thick strawberry jam brand. They taste delicious but all 12 baked off, 15 mins at 350*, large, round and pretty flat in shape. I turned them into ice cream tacos.
Now that I have tried the recipe, what I recommend is using 1/2 cup less butter, adding 1/4 cup of whole wheat flour to the dry ingred list and draining the jam on the counter overnight. Still chill the dough overnight but scoop the dough when you are ready to bake.
As ice cream tacos shells, delicious!
Ooh. Ice cream taco shells,,,,I’ve never even thought of those. Love that idea. I’m going. To maybe consider two batches. One with suggested changes for cookies and one for taco shells. This whoe posting of recipe and comments is so intriguing. Wish all those folks with issues had madsfollow up comments
OH MY!! These cookies are exceptional! I used stonewall kitchen’s Christmas jam instead of strawberry jam. I love the mixed flavors of the Christmas jam with the buttery flavor of the cookie. Next time I will make with strawberry jam. I have to say this is one of the best cookies I’ve made. I followed recipe exactly. I am an avid baker and in the kitchen often. I highly recommend this recipe! Thanks for the amazing cookie ❤️
Thank you!!
This is a great recipe and will probably become my base for every cookie recipe! I took it up a notch and made a whipped vanilla frosting to go on top so now it’s really like a strawberry shortcake!! It’s delicious!!
Sounds amazing!
I made these and they were wonderful! I was only able to chill them for 4 hours because my kiddos “couldn’t wait”. And they were still fabulous. Made half size cookies for little hands. Completely delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I normally don’t step foot in the kitchen but I’ve been at home a lot recently and decided to make these. Absolutely amazinggggg and super easy to make. I made it with raspberry instead and it was chefs kiss
Delicious! Thank you!!
I’m thinking these could be used with other fruit preserves. Raspberry?
Yes any flavor you like!
Very easy recipe that yields soft and not overly sweet cookies. I did make some adjustments to the recipe: 1. I browned the butter. If I am going to be melting better on the stovetop, it is not much more effort to brown the butter to add a caramel-y flavor. Two minutes on medium- low heat versus ten minutes for 2 sticks of butter. 2. I used Trader Joe’s sugar free raspberry preserve’s instead of strawberry jam. Mostly bc that’s just what I had on hand. 3. I zested a lemon and mixed with the sugar. 4. I used a 1 oz scoop and refrigerated overnight. I baked at 350 for 10 minutes. Recipe yielded 30 cookies.
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make! Hardest part is letting them rest for 4 hrs… I did 45 mins in the freezer and created a pazookie and it was still incredible!
Saw these on TikTok and had to make them! Super awesome treat for the summer!
made these last and absolutely loved them!! loved the bites of jam mixed in with the perfectly buttery cookie dough! any suggestions for what to do about the eggs if i wanted to half the recipe? thank you!!
Weigh the eggs in a small dish and beat smooth. Then divide the egg in equal weight between two dishes 🙂