When strawberry season rolls in, I can’t help but find ways to work them into just about everything I bake — and these cookies are no exception. I wanted something soft and creamy, with that fresh fruit flavor baked right in, and this recipe delivered. With bits of juicy strawberries, a swirl of jam, and a touch of cream cheese for richness, these cookies have the texture of a cake bite with the joy of a thumbprint.
They’re easy, a little nostalgic, and just the kind of cookie you’ll want to make again before the summer strawberry season ends.
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Ingredients You Will Need
- Cream Cheese
- Butter unsalted
- Sugar white
- All-purpose flour
- Strawberry preserves or jam
- Fresh strawberries
- White Sparkling sugar
Ingredients Tip
Does it matter if it is preserves, jam, or jelly? People use all three. I went with preserves since I was adding a piece of fresh strawberry on top. My fresh strawberries had sparkling sugar on top and preserves do not have as much sugar as the other two choices. My preference is Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves.
How to Make Strawberry Jam Cream Cheese Cookies
There is always a little prep work that needs done before you start. There are not that many ingredients, but the first thing I do is weigh or measure the sugar and set it aside. Then in another bowl, weigh or measure the flour. Add the salt to the flour and run a whisk through to blend.
Prep the Strawberries
1. Wash and dry the strawberries. If you would like to learn more about hulling strawberries, Taste of Home has a great article called Learn How to Hull Strawberries 3 Simple Ways.
I hull the strawberries. This means you cut off the top where the green stem is and then cut out the white inside of the strawberry.
To help with getting some of the natural juices in the strawberries out, I stand them up on a paper towel cut side down. After 30 minutes, I move them to a dry spot on the paper towel until I am ready to cut them during the cookie dough chilling time.
Mix and Chill Cookie Dough
These cookies come together so easily since there are only a few ingredients. Here's how to make them:
2. Add the block of cream cheese and cube the butter into a mixer bowl.
3. Mix on a medium mixer speed for 2 minutes.
4. Add the sugar and mix for another 3 minutes
5. You should get a nice and creamy texture. Scrape down the bowl and add ⅓ of the flour mixture at a time until incorporated. Try not to over mix.
6. Scrap the bowl down and across the bottom to make sure all the flour has been mixed into the butter-cream cheese and sugar mixture. Take the bowl off the stand and cover with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Baking Tips
Baking with fresh fruit and cream cheese can be tricky, but a few slight adjustments make a big difference in texture and success.
- Prevent soggy cookies: Let the cookies cool for 20-30 minutes. Always blot the strawberries with a paper towel before adding a piece to the top of the cookie.
- Jam application: Use a wet paper towel for your thumb between making each well in the dough ball. This helps to prevent sticking. Then add a small dollop of jam. Don’t overfill.
- Chill the dough: After mixing, chill the dough for at least 1 hour. This helps prevent spreading.
- Recommended tools: A medium cookie scoop ensures even size and baking. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats help with cleanup and prevent over-browning on the bottoms.
- Even spacing: These cookies spread slightly — leave at least 2 inches between scoops on the baking sheet.
Fill and Bake Thumbprint Cookies
7. For the size of the balls and to keep them uniform, I fill the medium cookie scooper and scrap the extra dough off past the spoon part. This way you will have an even bake on your cookies
8. Take the cookie dough from the scooper and roll it into a ball. I line them up on the cookie sheet pan before making the well.
9. I grab a wet paper towel so I can moisten my thumb between making the wells. When you use your thumb, it makes small wells. I like mine a little bigger, so I use my finger to spread out the walls on the inside. I also hold the outside with the other hand so they don't lose their round shape.
10. I use an ice tea spoon to add the preserves to each well. Try not to over fill, lol I do it all the time.
11. Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 9-11 minutes. Move to a cooling rack to finish firming up and cool down for 20-30 minutes.
12. Cut up the hulled strawberries into a size that will fit one on a cookie. Sprinkle with the sparkling sugar.
13. Once they have cooled, I dab the excess juice from the strawberry piece and add a sugared piece of fresh strawberry on top of the jam. Let them set before storing them.
FAQ's
Uncovered on my counter is where I leave them if I will eat them in a few days. If they are going to be enjoyed for 5 to 6 days, I would cover them and store them in the refrigerator. If there is a lot of juice, I would dab the excess juice with a paper towel and then refrigerate right away.
I hesitate to use frozen only because they hold a lot of water. If you can get them dried out enough, I say yes, but they can affect the texture of the cookie.
The cream cheese goes with almost any flavor of fruit preserves or jam. If you are still going to add a piece of fruit on top, you could try raspberry, blueberry, or blackberry.
Final Thoughts
These fresh strawberry and jam cream cheese cookies are soft, a little jammy, and full of fresh fruit flavor. I love how the cream cheese gives them a creamy richness, and the sparkling sugar on the strawberries makes them sparkle. They’re a little special without being fussy — just the kind of cookie to make on a spring weekend when fresh strawberries are at their peak.
Other Fruit Cookies
Recipe
Fresh Strawberries and Jam Cream Cheese Cookies
Barbara HallWould you like to save this recipe?
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese softened
- 1 cup (227 g) Butter unsalted room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) Sugar white
- 2 ½ cups (312.5 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ cup (170 g) Strawberry preserves
- 12 Fresh strawberries cut in small pieces
- 2 Tablespoon White Sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Wash, dry, and hull the strawberries. Stand them cut side down on a paper towel to draw out juice.
- Weigh or measure the sugar and set it aside. Then weigh or measure the flour, add the salt, and whisk to combine.
- In a stand or hand-held mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and cream cheese for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Reduce speed and mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
- While the dough chills, cut the hulled strawberries into small pieces. Set aside. If juicy, drain off any excess liquid. Add the sparkling sugar right on top.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop and roll the dough into uniform balls. Place 12 per pan. Press a shallow well into each dough ball.
- Fill each well with a small spoonful of strawberry jam. Bake for 9–11 minutes or until edges are set.
- Cool cookies on a rack for about 20-30 minutes. Top each with a sugared piece of fresh strawberry, pressing gently into the jam. Allow to fully cool before storing.
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NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist. The nutrition amounts given below are provided through a program and are only a guideline.
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