These raspberry jam tarts (jam cakes or cookie cups) are amazing. Crumbly and sweet, it's like a filled shortbread baked in muffin tins. They were one of the best cookie cups I have ever made. Perfect to add to your holiday baking they are a total crowd-pleaser. And I added a Nutella filling option.
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I call them jam tarts, but they are called cakes in most Scandinavian baking books I own.
It's shortbread dough pressed into muffin cups to form little tarts (or cookie cups), so the name has multiple options. Choose your own adventure.
- Easy to make: the dough is simple as long as you have room-temperature butter. I make it with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Filling possibilities: they can be filled with almost any type of jam, paste, or spread you like. There is a Nutella version further down. I'm just saying.
- Make-ahead: as with most cookie doughs, it can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for a month.
- The dough needs no refrigeration. You pat it in the muffin cups directly. Fill it and into the oven it goes!
They race head-to-head with my favorite non-traditional shortbread ever, the Hungarian Shortbread. And that is saying a lot.
Step-by-step VIDEO
Ingredient list
- Jam: I love a good raspberry jam, but others work too like apricot or plum, Nutella, or cookie butter.
- Unsalted butter.
- Cornstarch: it's an essential ingredient to achieve that smooth and crumbly texture.
- Powdered sugar: also called confectioners or icing sugar.
- All-purpose flour.
- Salt.
- Vanilla extract.
- Lemon zest.
- Sliced almonds: they cover the jam so that it doesn't dry out too much during baking and add a wonderful crunch.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
How to make shortbread tarts
Watch the video above for a step-by-step guide on how to make the dough.
Once the cookie dough is done, form small walnut-sized balls and press them into muffin tins.
Using a cookie scoop is a good idea to make them all the same size. I use the small cookie scoop of this set, which is 1.57 inches / 4cm in diameter, for regular-sized cookies.
Add a teaspoon of raspberry jam to each cookie cup.
Top with sliced almonds.
Topping
Sliced almonds are the best, in my opinion, as they provide the best crunch.
I have added chopped hazelnuts to the Nutella cakes, which worked well. So, use what you feel complements your filling better.
You can also skip the powdered sugar on top. The jam layer will solidify and be delicious, like wonderful jam thumbprint cookies.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
After the jam tarts are baked, let them cool for about 10 minutes in the pan and carefully run a smooth-bladed knife around the edges to loosen up any jam or dough that might be stuck. Do this while they're still warm.
Filling ideas
Since they are Scandinavian, using good raspberry jam (store-bought or homemade) is a no-brainer.
- Spreads: for the sake of research, we made a batch with Nutella; they were fabulous! Cookie butter spread would be another wonderful holiday filling.
- Jams: I recommend using slightly acidic ones like raspberries, blackberries, apricots, sour cherries, and plums. But really, you can use any spread you love.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Dough: it comes together easily if you have the butter at room temperature. It doesn't include an egg. If the mixture is too crumbly, add a teaspoon of water or milk to bind it together. I made it a few times and never needed it, but I know readers who had this issue.
- Make-ahead: make the dough ahead and have it ready in the fridge. If you freeze it remember to defrost it in the refrigerator rather than at room temperature. You can also freeze the dough in the pan, already patted.
- Flavorings: the lemon zest and vanilla are perfect, but you might want to change the flavor of the dough depending on the filling. Maybe orange zest and blackberry jam? Or some ground cardamom?
- Almonds: I think there is nothing like sliced almonds for that thin crunch that is hard to achieve with any other nut or if they are chopped. So, I highly suggest them.
- Storing: they keep very well at room temperature for a day. You can freeze them already baked, and well-wrapped. Defrost at room temperature uncovered and warm for a few minutes in a medium oven.
- Muffin pans: you can bake them directly in regular muffin pans like I do, or use paper liners. The latter is a good idea if you're hesitant about them being too crumbly to remove from the muffin tins.
They make me think of adjectives like dainty, pretty, sophisticated, and all those pink words I love when it comes to cookies, filled or otherwise.
Scandinavian baking is something I'm fascinated with.
I love their use of spices like cardamom and cinnamon, their yeasted sweet breads (like this wonderful Finnish pulla), and all those stories about the meaning of fika and hygge.
Related recipes you might like:
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Shortbread Jam Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup to ¾ cup cornstarch, see Note below
- ½ cup more or less raspberry jam or Nutella
- ½ cup or so sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Have ready paper muffin cups (many readers have a hard time taking these jam tarts out of the muffin pans, so use paper cups for easier handling). Or butter/spray the muffin pans. I have used both with good results.
- In a large bowl mix soft butter, zest and vanilla.
- Add sifted powdered sugar and mix well.
- Add sifted flour, baking powder, and salt in 2 parts and mix well. Use a spatula or wooden spoon so you don't overwork the dough.
- Add sifted cornstarch and mix well until you have a soft dough (see comment above).
- It is soft and not sticky. You can watch the video in the post for details on how the dough should be.
- Make walnut-sized balls or use a measuring spoon to fill muffin cups, and pat them onto the paper cups halfway up the sides.
- Carefully, with a spoon, fill each cup with raspberry jam or Nutella.
- Top with some sliced almonds and bake for 15-20 minutes until slightly golden and dry.
- Let them cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire rack and run a smooth-bladed knife to ensure they didn't stick to the sides. Let them cool and remove them from the pan. They are very soft, so help yourself with the knife and your hands.
- Serve with a bit of powdered sugar sifted on top.
Notes
Adapted from ScandiKitchen
Teresa Suchomski says
Absolutely delicious, made both of the with raspberry jam and Nutella.
Amazing
Louise Gallagher says
Wonderful!!!
JJ says
I have a friend who is allergic to lemons...is the lemon zest mandatory?
Paula Montenegro says
No, it's not Jenna. It adds some acid to cut through the butter and sugar, but you can omit it.
Rose says
The video does not play for some reason.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Rose, I'm able to open it. Can it be that maybe you have a firewall or something blocking?
Candace says
Hmmm, I’m not seeing the video link.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Candace, the video plays automatically, but you can also click on it. It's after the ingredients' image.
Gina says
These look yummy and am adding them to my Christmas baking list. My question is if can use mini muffin cups instead of the larger size. Thank you!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Gina! I never tried them, but I don't see why you can't.
Andjelija Krivokapic says
Hi, Paula,
I just saw this recipe and thought of putting a slice of marzipan under the jam…..I hope it works when I make them!
By the way, is your surname common in Argentina or perhaps you or your ancestors have connection with actual country of Montenegro?
I am from there but live in England and know that many people from Montenegro emigrated to Argentina over the years and stayed there….when I look at your picture I see features similar to those of Montenegrian origin! Perhaps I am wrong….nevertheless, I came across your blog while looking for a Chocolate Orange cake recipe and liked the one you posted…I made it today and it is for keeps, it came out brilliantly, we all enjoyed it, so soft and full of flavour! I used rum and orange juice instead of orange liquer (I did not have any). Thank you!
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Angelica! The marzipan sounds wonderful.
I have nothing to do with Montenegro the country and don't think I know anyone from there. The name is not one of the most common, but there are quite a few of us that are not related. So some might come from there. My branch comes from Spain.
So happy to know the chocolate orange cake came out well! We love it here and make it often. Have a great week.
Irell says
Hi I have jut made them using cake flour instead of All Purpose as we don't have that flour here in South Africa. They are delicious but very crumbly....a little too crumbly....making them difficult to eat. Can I add something to make them just a little less crumbly?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Irell! Did you use all the cornstarch? Check the video where I show what the dough should be like and then adjust the cornstarch. I do explain that in the recipe card because, though I never had that issue, I know readers that did. And the type of flour shouldn't be an issue. Let me know if you have further questions. Happy baking!
Carol Sowerby says
You need to leave them in the muffin tin to cool before you take them out or they just crumble
Gabrielle says
Wonderful! What is the traditional name of these tarts?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Gabrielle! They're called hallongrottor.
Anna-Isabel says
This recipe is so simple and easy to follow but the end product is delicious and sophisticated! I love it. Thank you, Paula!
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy to know that Anna! I also love it. Have a great week.
CJ says
HELLO PAULA WANT TO TRY THIS DO I ADD NUTELLA BEFORE BAKING OR AFTER BAKING THE TARTS - THANK YOU
Paula Montenegro says
Hi CJ! Add it before baking.
Nicholle L Larson says
So, I saw the comments about them not coming out of the tin easy. Ok..mine crumbled apart. As in did not hold together at all. The only thing that held was the jam and any cookie part stuck to the jam. What I can scrape out is delicious. The dough came together beautifully, I'm at a high altitude so I did adjust for that. I also used my gluten free flour blend. I've never had any challenges substituting my flour for regular before. Help?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Nicholle! It's hard for me to know what might've happened since you used a GF flour blend and baked it at a different altitude. I know GF mixes are quite different from regular flour and that might've made it crumblier? Especially since the dough came together well before baking it. But I don't bake gluten-free so it's hard for me to troubleshoot having such little experience.
I baked them SO many times, checked the recipe again and again, and made the video to show the process step-by-step due to the comments about crumbly tarts, and truthfully, never had an issue. Did you use paper liners? They hold everything together better. Did you use the largest amount of cornstarch? It was something during the baking process, but I can't pinpoint exactly what due to the substitutions and adjustments that are not my area of expertise.
I will try the recipe again and let you know.
Nicholle L Larson says
I did not us papers. I was having a difficult time with them. I feel even with the papers it still wouldn't of held together in any sort of way. As soon as you touched the cookie part it crumbled. I used my flour blend that I normally don't have issues with. I didn't use all of the corn flour as my blend contains corn flour. the dough came together, not at all crubly. I do have to say it didn't stop my husband from eating them!
Randa says
Can I put a spoonful of cream cheese first and then jam
Thanks
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Randa, I never tried it but it should work just fine.
Rose says
I made these today very buttery. I could not remove from muffin tin. I think you definitely need paper liners. Also tart jam.
Carole says
Just made these for first time.I found it hard to get all the flour etc to mix using a spatula so I just got stuck in and used my hands to mix,worked great and much easier.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Carole, glad it worked out! Have a great New Year!
Sherry says
Is there a way to use cocoa powder to make a chocolate cookie version.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Sherry! I never tried it, but I would use 1/3 cup of cocoa powder and substract the same amount from the total flour. You might also add a dollop of chocolate ganache on top after baked to make it more chocolaty.
Liz Lazo says
I made this recipe last night. It was pretty easy to follow. I was a little concerned that the dough wasn't coming together after adding all of the dry ingredients so I placed it in my standing mixer and mixed on low for about 30 seconds until it came together. I used 70 grams of cornstarch which seemed to work just fine. I had a little trouble determine how much dough to place in each cup and realize when I didn't have much dough left after making 12 that perhaps I used too much. But overall, they baked well! I used raspberry spread in half and Nutella in the other half (used foil as recommended). They were still pretty soft and crumbly when they came out so I had to leave them in the tin to cool down for a while before placing on the wire wrack. I definitely will make these again.
Paula Montenegro says
So happy you liked them Liz, in spite of the details! Yes, they are crumbly and 'delicate' but that's why the flavor and texture is so amazing. Have a great week.
Maura says
Hi I'm in the uk and wonder if by powdered sugar you mean icing sugar and by corn starch you mean corn flour. Thanks for the clarification. Looking forward to trying this recipe.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Maura, yes, it's icing sugar and corn flour in the UK. Have a good week.
Maura says
Thanks very much.
Juliette says
Hello, greetings from Portugal!
This is absolutely delicious, I make it with homemade blackberry jam and it's a big hit with the children 🙂
Paula Montenegro says
So glad you like it Juliette! Homemade jam is the perfect filling!