Love is in the air and so is the delicious scent of these freshly baked strawberry jam tarts. This recipe is a must-make for Valentine’s Day or whenever you’re entertaining!

strawberry jam tart with shortbread crust and two heart cut outs on top and fresh strawberry for garnish.

Buttery shortbread and tart jam filling is a treat for the tastebuds! I baked these jam tartlets for Galentine’s Day and they were a hit! Not only are they the perfect serving size, but they are easy to make ahead of time. It makes hosting a breeze!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Quick and easy! You only need 6 ingredients and 45 minutes to make these individual desserts.
  • Versatile. Swap out the jam for your favorite flavor. I use raspberry jam for these sandwich cookies.
  • Perfect for entertaining. The personal size is ideal for serving at dinner parties or brunches.

Ingredient Notes

tabletop with bowls of ingredients to make strawberry jam tarts.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter that is room temperature is best. Different varieties of salted butter have different amounts of salt added so it’s best to add it separately.
  • Flour: Use all purpose flour that is measured properly.
  • Confectioners’ sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, this sweetens the shortbread while keeping it soft.
  • Almond extract: This unique flavor complements the jam. If it’s not your favorite, use vanilla instead.
  • Strawberry jam: The star ingredient should be your favorite brand of jam. If there are any large chunks, break them up by microwaving the jam for 10 seconds with 1 teaspoon of water and stir.

Refer to the recipe card for ingredient details and measurements.

Recipe Variations

Try a different jam. Any type of jam works in this recipe! Try raspberry, blueberry, cherry or apricot. I also love rhubarb jam when it’s in season. Bleuberet is one of my favorite brands.

Use different size tartlet pans. Want bite-size tarts? Use a mini tart pan and decrease the baking time to 8 to 10 minutes.

Use pie dough for the crust. Pie crust is also a good option for tarts. You can make your own pie dough or use store-bought.

How to Make Strawberry Jam Tarts

photo collage demonstrating how to make strawberry jam tarts with shortbread dough in 4-inch tart pans.
  1. Make the shortbread crust. Combine the butter, flour, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and salt until a dough forms.
  2. Roll the dough out until 1/4-inch thick. Cut circles 4-inches in diameter. Press into the tart pans. Reroll the scraps of dough and cut out mini hearts for garnish.
  3. Place dough-lined tart pans and mini heart cut outs on a baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
  4. Fill each tart with jam. Place a mini heart in the center on top. Bake at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden and jam is bubbling. Cool completely.

Expert Tips

Make sure the dough is cold. This will help make a sturdy crust to hold the jam. If the dough is warm, the butter will melt and the bottom will be soft.

Don’t over-fill with jam. The jam will bubble up as it bakes so it’s best to spread an even layer on the bottom so there’s room for the filling to expand.

Place the tarts on a baking sheet. As a preventative method, I always put the mini tart pans on the baking sheet. That way, if any filling does overflow, there’s not a mess on the bottom of the oven. This also makes it easier to transfer the tarts in and out of the oven.

two strawberry jam tarts with shortbread heart cut out and strawberry garnish on small wire cooling rack.

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

Make ahead the dough and keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. You can either roll it into a log and or prepare the crusts in the tartlet pans. Be sure to cover with plastic wrap so the dough doesn’t dry out.

Store tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.

Freeze tarts for up to 3 months. Flash freeze for an hour so the jam is firm, then individually wrap the tarts in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag or airtight container. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.

Recipe FAQ

Can I use a muffin pan?

I tested this and I had some difficulty getting the tarts out of the pan cleanly. You can certainly try this method—maybe you’ll have better luck!

How do you know when jam tarts are done?

The crust will turn golden and the jam will be bubbling.

strawberry jam tart on a plate with a piece cut off.

Related Recipes

If you like using jam in your baking, try these recipes next!

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars from Scratch

Jam Sandwich Cookies

Sacher Torte from Scratch

Did you love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and if you REALLY loved it, consider leaving a comment further down the page.

two strawberry jam tarts with shortbread heart cut out and strawberry garnish on small wire cooling rack.

Get the Recipe: Strawberry Jam Tarts with Shortbread Crust

Yield: 6 tartlets
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Sweet and simple, strawberry jam tarts are the perfect dessert for entertaining. The shortbread crust is delicious with the fruit filling.
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Equipment

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

  • ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
  • ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • Pinch of salt

Filling

  • ½ cup strawberry jam

Instructions 

  • Combine butter, flour, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and salt until it forms a dough.
  • On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is no thicker than 1/4-inch. Use a round cookie cutter (or get creative and use the tart pan like I did) and cut circles about 4-inches in diameter. Reroll dough scraps and cut out mini hearts.
  • Place the dough rounds into ungreased tartlet pans. Use your fingers to gently press the dough into the bottom and about ½-inch up the sides of the pan. Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork twice.
  • Place tartlet pans and mini hearts on a baking sheet. Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator while the oven preheats.
  • Preheat the oven to 350℉.
  • Remove the baking pan from the refrigerator. Fill each tartlet with 1 1/2 Tablespoons of jam. Spread into a layer. Do not overfill as the jam will bubble up as it bakes. Top with a mini heart and sprinkle with sugar.
  • Bake at 350℉ for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden and the jam is bubbly. Cool completely, remove from the pan and serve.

Notes

Jam: If the jam is chunky, add a teaspoon of water and microwave it for 5 to 10 seconds to thin it out a bit.
Shortbread: Make sure the dough is cold before going into the oven. About 15 minutes in the refrigerator should be enough time while the oven preheats.
Store at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Serving: 1tart, Calories: 311kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 12mg, Potassium: 49mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 473IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Haley D Williams
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

This post was originally sponsored by Bleuberet. It has since been updated to better suit my readers.

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