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Italian Strawberry Filled Cookies

Soft, buttery and fruity, these Italian strawberry filled cookies are a sweet treat anytime of the year! Soft Italian cookies are sandwiched together with sweet strawberry jam and the result is melt-in-your mouth irresistible. 

Strawberry cookies on a white plate with two strawberries.


 

Italian Cookies with a Strawberry Filling

A cross between my easy strawberry cookies and Italian sandwich cookies, these Italian strawberry filled cookies are the best of both worlds! Made with two buttery cookies sandwiched together with a sweet fruity strawberry jam filling, they are tender, flaky and delicious. 

True confession: I have never been much of a fresh strawberry fan except when I was pregnant with my daughter. After she was born, though, I went back to only liking them in sweet treats like this strawberry quick breadstrawberry cream cheese strudel and these strawberry jam sandwich cookies. 

These filled soft Italian cookies are perfect for strawberry season! They are made with a versatile buttery pastry dough that is often used for homemade Italian sweets like jam filled crostata pieItalian apple pie and many of my easy summer desserts and then are filled with a fresh strawberry filling! They are perfect to celebrate spring, summer or enjoy anytime of the year. 

  • Buttery: With a tender cookie crumb they just melt in your mouth!
  • Fruity center: A yummy fresh strawberry jam filled fruity center is a sweet surprise when you take a bite!
  • Crowd pleasing: Perfect for any holiday or gathering with friends and family.
  • Simple ingredients: Made with a versatile soft Italian dough these delicious soft cookies are great to make anytime. 
Strawberry cookies on a plate with a tart.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour: Adds structure to the cookies, with at least 11% protein, this will help keep the cookies from spreading.
  • Sugar: White granulated sugar adds the best sweet taste.
  • Baking powder: Gives the cookies a small lift and rise.
  • Egg: One whole egg helps bind the ingredients together and an extra egg yolk adds moisture.
  • Butter: Your butter will need to be softened to room temperature so remember to remove it from the fridge 45 minutes to an hour before using. 
  • Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract for best taste. 
  • Salt: Just a pinch, if you use unsalted butter add ¼ teaspoon salt.
  • Strawberry filling: Chopped fresh strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. 
Recipe ingredients.

How to Make Strawberry Filled Cookies

In a large bowl, gently whisk together the flour, sugar and baking powder and salt. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and add the slightly beaten egg and yolk, the vanilla and cubed butter. 

The dry ingredients whisked in a bowl and adding the eggs.

Make your cookie dough by using a fork to mix together the ingredients until the dough slightly comes together, then turn out the mixture onto a lightly floured flat surface and work it gently to form a soft dough. Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

Forming the dough into a ball and wrapping in plastic wrap.

While the dough chills, make your strawberry filling. Add the strawberries, sugar and cornstarch to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from the heat to cool completely. 

Making the filling in a silver pot.

Remove chilled cookie dough from the fridge to a floured surface and knead a couple of times to soften. Then working with only 1/2 the dough at a time, roll to â…› inch thickness and cut out with your preferred cookie cutters. 

Rolling the dough and making cut outs.

In the middle of each cookie, add 1-2 teaspoons of strawberry filling and top with a second cookie. Seal the edges with fingers dipped in water.

Filling the and finishing the cookies before baking.

Place your strawberry filled cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until lightly golden. Cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely, dust with powdered sugar before serving.

If you wish you could make individual tarts instead or some of each. Bake the tarts for a little longer.

A tart before and after baking.

Variations

  • Make tarts: If you have leftover dough and filling, make small tarts similar to my strawberry puff pastry tarts. For reference, I made 10 jam sandwich cookies and three small tarts with the cookie dough. 
  • Cut out shapes: If you would like the jam to peek out in your strawberry filled cookies, use a 1 inch cookie cutter to cut out shapes in the center of the top cookie. 
  • Flavor of filling: Fill free to use a raspberry, apricot or peach filling.
  • Thumbprint cookies: Not in the mood for a sandwich cookie then make a thumbprint cookie instead. Instead of cutting out your cookies, roll them into a small ball, make an imprint with your thumb and fill it with jam.
  • Cookie base: Use a shortbread cookiebutter cookie or sugar cookie base instead.
A strawberry tart on a wooden board.

Expert Tips

  • Use your hands to mix the dough: Just like I once told my daughter when she helped make these strawberry filled soft cookies, you need to ‘use a little strength’ to gently knead the dough to come together, or you can make it with a food processor.
  • Dust with powdered sugar: Right before serving dust with powdered sugar for a delicious melt in your mouth texture. 
  • Cookie cutter shape: Use any shape you like! A heart for Valentine’s Day, a star for Christmas or use a round or fluted shape anytime of the year. 
  • Use the tines of a fork to seal the edges: If you love a pretty presentation use the tines of fork to seal the edges. 
  • Leftover cookie dough scraps: Make small jam sandwich cookies or small cut out cookies if you would like.
  • Keep dough chilled: Work with only ½ the dough at a time and keep the other ½ chilled. It is not only easier to roll out the dough but helps keep the structure of the dough intact. 
  • Amount of jam: Use up to 2 teaspoons of jam when filling these strawberry filled cookies. I find 1-2 teaspoons is optimal, but it really depends on the size of your cookies.

How to Store These Cookies

If they last that long you can store your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days! I like to layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Cookies on a white plate and a tart on the board.

Strawberry Cookies FAQs

How to serve these cookies?

Serve these strawberry jam filled cookies for dessert, as a snack cookie or anytime you need a sweet treat. I love to enjoy them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or try them with lemon ice cream for a refreshing treat!

What will happen if I forget to chill the dough? 

The cookies will spread more while they bake as well as the texture and flavor will not be as pronounced.

Can I use store bought jam?

Yes, if you would like to save a step feel free to use a seedless strawberry jam. Avoid ones labeled jelly and choose a good quality preserve made with real strawberries.

Can I freeze strawberry filled cookies?

You can freeze the completely cooled jam sandwich cookies. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. You could also freeze unbaked, freeze until firm on a baking sheet, then move to a freezer container. Bake from frozen.

Can I make the dough ahead of time? 

Yes! You can make this dough up to 48 hours in advance of using it to make strawberry filled cookies.

Can I use other types of fruit for the filling?

Yes, you can use other types of fruit for the filling such as blueberries, raspberries, or peaches.

These cookies are perfect for serving at a party, sharing with friends, or simply enjoying as a special treat. Why not whip up a batch of these delicious cookies and savor the taste of summer or anytime of the year! Enjoy.

Two strawberry cookies stacked with one cut in half stacked.

If you love cookies then I am sure you are going to enjoy these Soft cherry cookies or Italian pinch cookies or one of our favorites Pistachio cookies!

Strawberry cookies on a white plate with two strawberries.

Italian Strawberry Filled Cookies

Rosemary Molloy
Soft, buttery and fruity, these Italian strawberry filled cookies are a sweet treat anytime of the year! Perfect for snack or dessert.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chilling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12 cookies
Calories 204 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

FOR THE DOUGH

  • 1¾ cups all purpose flour (at least 11% protein)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature
  • ½ cup + 2 tablespoons butter (room temperature-cut into small cubes)* (140 grams total)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt**

*For room temperature remove from the fridge 45-60 minutes before using.

    **If you use unsalted butter use ¼ teaspoon salt.

      FOR THE FILLING

      • 2 cups chopped strawberries
      • ¼ cup granulated sugar
      • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

      Instructions
       

      FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH

      • In a large bowl, gently whisk together the flour, sugar and baking powder and salt, make a well in the middle and add the slightly beaten egg and yolk, vanilla and cubed butter. With a fork mix together until dough slightly comes together, then turn mixture onto a lightly floured flat surface and work gently to form a soft dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

      FOR THE FILLING

      • In a medium sauce pan add the strawberries, sugar and cornstarch, cook over medium heat until thickened approximately 10 minutes, remove to a medium-sized bowl and let cool completely. It will thicken even more as it cools.
      • Meanwhile, Pre-heat oven to 340F (170C), line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
      • Remove the dough from the fridge, knead the dough a couple of times to soften it up. Place the dough on a floured flat surface.
      • Roll out 1/2 the dough (easier to work with) at a time to â…› inch thickness (or a little thicker if you prefer) and cut out with medium to large cookie cutters. Flower, shape or heart or even round.
      • In the middle of each cookie add approximately 1-2 teaspoons of strawberry filling depending on the size, top with a second cookie and seal the edges with fingers dipped in water.
      • Continue until all the cut outs are complete.
      • Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden, (if you make tarts they will need approximately 5 minutes longer). Let cool 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely, dust with powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!

      ** Depending on size of cutter the recipe makes approximately 10 sandwich cookies and 1-3 tarts.

        Notes

        The dough can also be made in a food processor.
        You could make 10 medium sandwich cookies (more or less depending on the size of your cutters) and one 4 inch tart.
        If they last that long you can store your baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days! I like to layer them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
        You can freeze the completely cooled jam sandwich cookies. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. You could also freeze unbaked, freeze until firm on a baking sheet, then move to a freezer container. Bake from frozen.

        Nutrition

        Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 282IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
        Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

        Updated from May 17, 2015.

        20 Comments

          1. Hi yes you can, they will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer in a freezer container, I would probably separate the layers with parchment paper. Take care!

        1. 5 stars
          Dear Rosemary,

          Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
          I just made these scrumptious cookies before the Christmas holiday for family. The strawberry filling complemented the lovely cookies perfectly and and cookies themselves were amazing! I haven’t yet tasted a cookie so soft and fragrant as these. Definitely one of my new favorites!

        2. 5 stars
          YUM’d! This looks delicious. Please come share your blog posts over at the Home Matters Linky Party! We’d love to have you for a visit. The Door is OPEN. http://lifewithlorelai.com/2015/05/28/home-matters-linky-party-39/ 🙂

          ~Lorelai
          Life With Lorelai

        3. 5 stars
          I love anything strawberry – and these look delicious! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty 🙂

        4. 5 stars
          Wow those are beautiful and sound absolutely delicious…great job 🙂 great share 🙂

        5. 5 stars
          Oh my gosh these look absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop!

        6. 5 stars
          Those strawberries are gorgeous!!! What a great idea for a cookie- fresh strawberry filling with that beautiful dough! Like I’ve said before, you have so many great recipes I want to try! 🙂

        7. I love strawberries & this looks like delicious perfection! I’ll have to try these, so pinned it 🙂

          Found you via the Bloggers Brags linkup, have a nice week!

          Alex – Funky Jungle

        8. Stunning, Marvelous. I am a Big fan of strawberry and u made cookies great job. I am glad that i found your blog. Wonderful Pictures. Thanks really, i just love with your blog. Keep Posting.

        9. They must be delicious! My daughter loves strawberries! I should give this a try! Thanks for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned your post to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Board

        10. Absolutely beautiful photos of your desserts! They sound wonderful and I’m thinking blueberries or peach. My poor mamma was allergic to strawberries — I can eat just about anything tasty 🙂 Can’t wait to whip up a batch when we get home. I’m thinking up lots of variations. Thank you for sharing. Pineapple, anyone??

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