Heart-Shaped Strawberry Shortbread Cookies (2024)

Sharing the prettiest Strawberry Shortbread Cookies shaped in beautiful hearts make them a perfect gift for your loved ones this Valentine's Day. A buttery shortbread sandwich cookie is topped with a fresh strawberry glaze and filled with sweet strawberry jam making this an all-year-round treat.

Make these Strawberry Shortbread Cookies for family, friends, or a loved one to show them your appreciation. I guarantee that these will bring a smile to their face! You can also try out my Heart-Shaped Raspberry Handpies, decadent Almond Chocolate Torte (gluten-free), or Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake if you want to impress. All delicious and all highlighting the lure of chocolate on Valentine's Day!

I use my tried and tested shortbread recipe (from my How To Make Shortbread Guide) to create heart-shaped cookies. It's buttery, melts in your mouth, and is super easy to pull together and roll out. Once baked, two hearts are sandwiched with strawberry jam, and the top is dipped in a fresh strawberry glaze. (I have noted if you don't have fresh strawberries!)

These are fun for all ages but your kids will thoroughly enjoy making these shortbread cookies with you. Don't have a heart-shaped cookie cutter- don't worry- you can cut these out in any shape that you like!!

Scroll down and you'll see my round fluted cutters coming into action. Shortbread is super straightforward to make and my instructions below show you images of how you can make them too.

🧾 Ingredients Needed

Basic shortbread requires three ingredients, butter, sugar and flour. Any extra ingredients aren’t essential to shortbread but can definitely help with sweetness and balance. Our extra ingredients are vanilla extract and salt. You can find out why below.

You could also add in Lemon zest as in my Lemon Shortbread for added flavour.

Basic Shortbread

• Butter- I recommend unsalted butter. Please don't use margarine as it won't allow the cookies to hold their shape. Ensure the butter is at room temperature so that it can be creamed with the sugar.
• Sugar- Granulated or caster sugar is used. Personally, I prefer caster sugar as it dissolves that bit quicker into the butter.
• Flour- Plain (all-purpose) flour creates the perfect structure for the cookies to maintain their shape. Weigh the flour out with digital scales. Measuring with cups may add too much flour to the dough and will in turn make them dry.
• Vanilla extract- It adds beautifully rounded sweetness to the dough. You can use vanilla bean paste as an alternative.
• Salt - As we are teaming the shortbread up with strawberry jam and a strawberry glaze, the salt acts to balance out the sweetness.

Strawberry Filling and Glaze

• Strawberry puree. I say the word puree lightly. I literally just cored and hulled two large strawberries and mashed them with a fork. Make sure to cut off any white parts at the top of the strawberry. We want all the red parts to help colour the glaze that gorgeous pink. If you don't have fresh strawbs then go with a tablespoon of strawberry jam or a tablespoon or two of freeze-dried strawberry powder.
• Melted Butter. A bit of melted butter gives the glaze a sheen but also allows the glaze to set as the butter cools and hardens. You won't taste the butter - it's all about the powdered sugar and strawberry flavour.
• Milk - Have a tablespoon or two of milk on hand. You may not need it as the strawberry puree might be enough but it depends on the juicy ripeness and size of your strawberries. If you don't have milk then water or lemon juice can be used also.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

Make the Shortbread Hearts

STEP 1. Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract.The butter has to be at room temperature for it to be able to cream properly. Beat for a good 2 to 3 minutes until the butter is pale(Images 1 & 2).

Add the vanilla extract in and give it a quick mix together. Make sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

STEP 2. Add in flour and beat them together.The dough will look quite raggedybut you know it has come together when the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl and clump in the center and around the blades(Images 3 & 4).

With your hands bring the dough together in the bowl by squeezing it into one cohesive lump (Image 5). Then, using your hands, press it and shape it into a rough disc.

STEP 3. Roll out the shortbread dough on a lightly floured surface (Image 6).Note:I tend to only flour the surface and the rolling pin and not the top surface of the dough itself. This adds even more flour which can dry out the dough.You can also roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper too if you like.

I roll the dough out to 0.5cm (¼inch) thick- slightly thinner than I would a standard shortbread cookie, namely because two of these are going to be sandwiched together. Trying to bite down on two really thick cookies is not as desirable to me.

STEP 4. Cut out cookie shapes and chill.Using the heart-shaped cookie cutter (or whichever one you have), press the cutter firmly down into the shortbread dough (Image 7). Stamp out as many shapes as you can. Lay them onto a baking tray covered in parchment paper (Image 9 below).

Bring together any scraps, re-roll and stamp out more cookies. And then again if needs be. The dough is pretty forgiving to re-roll until you've used as much of it as you can. Try not to knead it each time. Simply pressing it together will form it into a disc.

Also be aware that every time you re-form the dough, it will pull in the flour from the work surface and hence may dry out the dough. If you find this happens, then sprinkle a couple of drops of water to the dough as you bring it together.Use a spatula, off-set spatula or butter knife to help lift the cutouts onto the baking tray so as not to ruin their shape (Image 8).

Note: Make this recipe ahead of time by covering them in plastic wrap and then refrigerating them overnight (or even for a couple of days!). You can then pop them in the oven as and when you want.

TIP: Variables

There are quite a few different factors that will affect how long you bake your cookies and the outcome. Here are points to look out for:

Different oven temps: Your oven can run at a different temperature to mine and with such a short bake time overall, just a couple of degrees will change the length of bake time.

Measurements: Were the ingredients measured out properly. Too much flour will dry out the cookie dough and then bake time may need to be reduced.

The thickness of dough: The thinner you roll out the dough- the crispier they will be.

Bake time: Use the recommended time in the recipe but my biggest tip is to go by sight. Buttery and 'short', or crisp. I like my shortbread soft and buttery so bake them in the minimum time stated. But if you'd prefer yours on the crisper side then leave them in the oven for a couple of minutes longer.

Strawberry Glaze and Filling

STEP 6. Mix glaze ingredients together.The strawberry glaze is a beautiful addition to the shortbread cookies. But totally optional! You could simply dust the top of the cookies with icing sugar if you fancied it. Pop the icing sugar, pureed strawberries, and butter into a bowl and stir until smooth and lump-free. It's a thick glaze but you can pop it in the microwave for a maximum of ten seconds to loosen it up a bit if need be.

Fresh strawberries can have varying degrees of juiciness depending on their variety and how ripe they are. If the glaze still needs loosening, then add in a bit of the milk (or lemon juice or water) or more pureed strawberries if you have any, until you have the perfect consistency(Images 11 & 12).

STEP 7. Dip cookies into glaze.Divide the hearts into two so that you have the sandwich cookie 'tops' and the 'bases'. Dip the top of each 'top' shortbread heart into the strawberry glaze and carefully lift it out (Image 13). Let any excess glaze drip back into the bowl and then place it on a tray or wire rack for the icing to set. It makes it easier to assemble the 'base' and 'top' if the icing is set. By all means, carry on and hold the cookie by the sides if you don't want to wait(Image 14).

Note: if you use strawberry jam or freeze-dried strawberry powder instead of the puree, then just mix in with the other ingredients and adjust the consistency if needed.

STEP 8. Fill strawberry shortbread cookies with jam. It's time to add the jam onto the 'bases'. Flip the remaining shortbread cookies onto their backs so that the underside is showing up. Spoon or pipe (I pipe the jam as I find it quicker and less messy), strawberry jam onto the 'base' heart (Image 15). Then place the iced 'top' and gently press the two together (Image 16).

🥣 How To Serve

You can enjoy them straight away but the two cookies will slide around when trying to bite down on them. Leave them to sit out at room temp for an hour or so for the glaze to fully harden and the jam to set in place. You'll then be able to package up the cookies without fear of them moving.

📋Recipe FAQs

❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions

To store:Strawberry Shortbread Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

To freeze: Undecorated shortbread can be stored in a freezer-safe container layered between parchment paper and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature. Fill and decorate according to the recipe.

🍪 More Shortbread Recipes

5 from 12 votes

Metric - US Customary

Basic Shortbread

• ▢ 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 60 g caster sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 180 g plain flour (all-purpose)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon fine salt

Strawberry Filling and Glaze

• ▢ 110 g powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• ▢ 2 tablespoon strawberry puree, 2 large strawberries hulled and mashed with a fork
• ▢ 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 30 ml milk
• ▢ 170 g strawberry jam

Make basic shortbread

• Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract.Line one or two baking trays with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and cream for about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed until pale and light. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl half way through. Add in the vanilla extract and mix again.

• Add in flour beat them together.Sift in the flour and add the salt then mix on low speed until they are combined and the dough starts to come together. The dough will look quite raggedy but you’ll know it’ ready when it starts to clean the sides of the bowl and clumps in the middle.

  With your hands, squeeze the shortbread dough together into a mass. Shape it into a rough disc.

• Roll out the shortbread dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll it out to a ½ cm (¼ inch) thick.

  Note: if the dough is too soft at this point then wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or longer until it firms up slightly and makes it easier to roll out. Keep an eye on it as if the dough is too hard, it will crack when you try to roll it out.

• Cut out cookie shapes and chill. Once the dough is rolled out, use a cookie cutter (I used a heart-shaped one) to stamp out the cookies. Lay the cut outs onto the prepared baking tray. Bring together any scraps, re-roll and stamp out more cookies. And then, do it again if needs be. Just be aware that every time you re-form the dough, it will pull in the flour from the benchtop and hence may dry out the dough. Add a couple of drops of water to the dough if this happens. Try not to overwork the dough by kneading it. Just press it gently together each time.

  Now refrigerate the stamped cookies for 30 minutes minimum or until the cutouts have hardened. This means the butter has resolidified and will give you the best possible chance of the cookies retaining their shape in the oven.

• Bake.Preheat the oven to 170°C (335°F) whilst the cutouts are chilling. Remove the cookies from the fridge, then bake for 10-12 mins or until just golden around the edges. Cool on the tray for ten minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make glaze and assemble cookies

• Mix glaze ingredients together.Place the powdered icing sugar, pureed strawberries and melted butter into a bowl and stir until smooth and lump-free. It's a thick glaze but you can pop it in the microwave for a maximum of ten seconds to loosen it up a bit if need be. Fresh strawberries can have varying degrees of juiciness depending on their variety and how ripe they are. If the glaze still needs loosening, then add in a bit of the milk (or lemon juice or water) at a time until you have the perfect consistency.

• Dip cookies into glaze. Divide the hearts into two so that you have equal number ‘tops’ and equal number ‘bases’ to sandwich together later on. Dip the ‘top’ hearts into the glaze letting any excess drip off. Place on a wire rack or back on the baking tray for icing to set.

• Fill strawberry shortbread cookies with jam. Spoon or pipe a teaspoon worth of strawberry jam onto the underside of the shortbread ‘bases’. Cover the jam with the glazed top heart and gently squeeze together.

  Eat immediately or let sit at room temperature for the jam and glaze to fully set in place.

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.

If you don’t have fresh strawberries for the glaze: Use 1 tablespoon of strawberry jam or 1-2 tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberries in the glaze instead.

Alternatives:If you don’t fancy turning these into shortbread sandwich cookies then simply dip each heart in strawberry glaze.

To store:Strawberry Shortbread Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

To freeze: Undecorated shortbread can be stored in a freezer-safe container layered between parchment paper and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature. Fill and decorate according to the recipe.

TIP 1: Re-roll the dough. Once you've cut out the first round of cookies, make sure to bring the dough back together again with your hand, re-shape it then re-roll and cut out more cookies. I do this twice to get the maximum number of cookies from the dough.

Tip 2: Flour your cookie cutters. This stops the dough from sticking to them and avoids you having to peel the dough from the cutter, ruining the cookie shape.

Tip 3: Refrigerate the cookie dough. Unless you what a tray of odd-shaped cookies that have spread all over the place, the dough needs to be chilled.

TIP 4: Keep an eye on the bake time. Everyone's oven runs at a slightly different temperature. With such a short bake time, a minute or two, either way, will make a difference.