Remember biting into a pop tart as a kid and thinking nothing could ever top that? Well, these Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies just did. I first made them on a rainy Saturday afternoon when my kids were begging for something fun to bake together. We had strawberry jam in the fridge and a serious sweet tooth to satisfy. These soft, buttery sugar cookies are stuffed with real strawberry jam right in the center. Then they get finished with a dreamy cream cheese frosting and a shower of sprinkles. Trust me, one bite and you’re completely hooked.
Why You Will Love These Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
Seriously, what’s not to love? Here’s why these cookies are going straight to the top of your baking list:
- They come together in just 42 minutes from start to finish, so you’re not stuck in the kitchen all day.
- Every ingredient is simple and easy to find at your regular grocery store.
- That jam-filled center is an absolute surprise in every single bite.
- The cream cheese frosting is rich, smooth, and completely irresistible.
- Sprinkles make them look stunning without any extra effort on your part.
- Kids and adults both go absolutely crazy for them, so they’re perfect for any crowd.
- You can swap the jam flavor and make them your own.
Ingredients for Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
Before you start, pull everything out and have it ready to go. There’s nothing worse than realizing mid-mix that your butter is still rock hard in the fridge. Both the butter and cream cheese need to be fully softened, so set them out at least 30 minutes ahead of time. The ingredients split into two groups: one for the cookie dough and one for that gorgeous cream cheese frosting on top.
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup strawberry jam
Frosting Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sprinkles
Equipment You Will Need
Getting your tools ready before you start makes the whole process so much smoother. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Stand mixer with a mixing bowl
- Two cookie sheets
- Silicone baking mats to line each sheet
- Number 16 cookie scoop, which holds about 1/4 cup of dough
- Wire rack for cooling
That cookie scoop is honestly a game changer. It keeps every single cookie the same size so they all bake evenly. Don’t skip it.
How to Make Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
Okay, let’s get into it. Before you do anything else, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two cookie sheets with your silicone mats. Getting that oven hot from the start means you’re not sitting around waiting once the dough is ready. The whole process moves through three easy phases: making the dough, filling and baking the cookies, and finishing them with that dreamy cream cheese frosting.
Making the Cookie Dough
Add your softened butter, white sugar, and packed light brown sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. Cream everything together on high speed for two to three minutes. You want the mixture to look pale and fluffy before you move on. That step matters more than people think.
Reduce the speed to medium and add your egg and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Then blend in the salt and baking soda.
Now here’s the part where you need to slow down. Switch to low speed and add your flour one cup at a time. Stop mixing the moment it comes together. Seriously, do not overmix once the flour goes in. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes your cookies tough instead of soft and tender. A few streaks of flour are totally fine before that last gentle mix.
Filling and Baking the Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
Use your number 16 cookie scoop to portion out 12 dough balls. Press a deep hole into the center of each one with your thumb or a spoon. You want that hole to be genuinely deep, not just a little dent. A shallow hole means the jam has nowhere to go and it will leak out the sides during baking.
Spoon one tablespoon of strawberry jam into each hole. Then pinch the dough up and over the jam to seal it completely, and roll the whole thing back into a smooth ball. Take your time with the sealing step. If there’s a gap, the jam will bubble right out.
Place six dough balls on each prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should look set but the centers will still look a little underdone. That’s exactly what you want. Let the cookies rest on the pan for a full 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. They firm up as they cool.
Making the Frosting and Finishing the Cookies
Make sure your cookies are completely cool before you even think about frosting them. I learned that the hard way. Warm cookies melt the frosting right off.
In your stand mixer, cream the softened cream cheese and butter together until the mixture is completely smooth. Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time, blending well after each addition. Then blend in the vanilla and heavy whipping cream until everything is silky and spreadable.
Frost each cookie by starting in the center and spreading outward to the edges. Immediately shake sprinkles over the top before the frosting sets. Then set the cookies aside and let the frosting firm up before you serve or stack them.
Tips for Perfect Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
I’ve made these enough times now to know exactly where things can go wrong. My first batch? I frosted them way too early and ended up with a melted, slidey mess. Learn from me. These tips will save you.
- Use fully softened butter. If it’s still cold, it won’t cream properly and your dough will be lumpy from the start.
- Stop mixing the moment the flour is just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cookies tough instead of soft.
- Press that hole deep. A shallow dent is not enough. You need real space to hold a full tablespoon of jam without it leaking out.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. Completely. Not mostly cool. All the way cool.
- Let the frosting set before stacking or storing. Otherwise everything smears together and nobody wants that.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Don’t stress if you don’t have every single ingredient on hand. These cookies are pretty flexible, and I’ve tested a few swaps that work really well.
- If you only have salted butter, just skip the kosher salt in the dough. Easy fix.
- Strawberry jam is the classic choice here, but raspberry or blueberry jam work beautifully too. Use whatever you love.
- No stand mixer? A hand mixer does the job just fine. Just make sure you cream that butter and sugar long enough to get it light and fluffy.
- If you don’t have heavy whipping cream for the frosting, whole milk works as a substitute. Add it slowly though, just a little at a time, so the frosting stays thick.
- The cream cheese in the frosting is not just for flavor. It adds a slight tang that balances all that sweetness, and it helps the frosting hold its shape on top of the cookie. I wouldn’t skip it.
Storage and Reheating for Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
These cookies keep really well, so don’t worry if you end up with extras. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Because the frosting has cream cheese in it, I’d recommend moving them to the fridge if you’re keeping them longer than that. They’ll stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Want to freeze them? Go for it, but freeze the cookies before frosting. Let them cool completely, layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature, then frost and add sprinkles fresh before serving.
Nutrition Information
Here’s a quick look at the estimated nutrition per one cookie. Keep in mind these are approximations and can vary depending on the specific ingredients and brands you use.
- Calories: 200
- Total Fat: 8g (Saturated Fat: 4g, Unsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0g)
- Cholesterol: 20mg
- Sodium: 120mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 30g (Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 15g)
- Protein: 2g
Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
Can I make Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely. You can bake the cookies a day ahead and store them unfrosted at room temperature. Then frost and add sprinkles the next day before serving. They taste just as good.
Why did my jam leak out during baking?
The hole probably wasn’t sealed tightly enough. Make sure you press the dough firmly around the jam and roll the ball until the seam disappears completely. A deep hole and a good seal make all the difference.
Can I use store-bought frosting instead of homemade?
You can, but honestly the homemade cream cheese frosting is so much better. It takes about five minutes and the flavor is worth it.
How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
The edges should look set and just barely golden. The centers might still look a little soft, and that’s totally fine. They firm up as they cool on the pan.
Can I use a different flavor of jam?
Definitely. Raspberry and blueberry both work beautifully here. Use whatever jam you love most.
Share Your Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies
Did you make these? I want to see them! Leave a comment below and let me know how they turned out. A quick star rating helps other bakers find this recipe too. And if you snap a photo, share it on social media and tag me. Seeing your versions honestly makes my day.
Print
Strawberry Pop Tart Sugar Cookies You’ll Adore
- Total Time: 42 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Delicious strawberry pop tart sugar cookies filled with jam and topped with creamy frosting.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Butter
- ¾ Cup white sugar
- ¾ Cup light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 egg (large)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 ½–3 Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Cup strawberry jam
- ½ brick (4 oz) cream cheese (softened)
- 4 Tablespoons butter (softened)
- 3 Cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line two cookie sheets with silicone mats. Set aside.
- Add butter and both sugars (white and light brown) in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer.
- Cream the butter and sugar(s) together on high speed for two to three minutes.
- Reduce speed to medium and add the egg and vanilla.
- Mix in the salt and baking soda until combined.
- Add one cup of flour at a time on low speed until just combined.
- Make 12 dough balls with a #16 cookie scoop (¼ cup size).
- Make a deep hole in the center of each dough ball.
- Fill each hole with one tablespoon of jam.
- Seal the jam filled holes with cookie dough and roll into a ball.
- Put six cookie dough balls on each cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
- To make the frosting, cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, blending until smooth.
- Blend in vanilla and heavy whipping cream.
- Frost each cookie starting in the center and working to the edge.
- Shake sprinkles on each cookie.
- Set aside for frosting to set before serving.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened for easy mixing.
- Do not overmix the cookie dough.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg