Buttery and crumbly melt-in-your-mouth shortbread topped with sweet pineapple jam. This is the upgraded version of the traditional pineapple tart!

With the lunar new year coming it is the perfect time to prepare pineapple tarts! These are a twist on the traditional pineapple tart, taking the delicious pineapple jam and placing it on top of the butteriest shortbread!

What is a pineapple tart?

Pineapple tarts are more of a cookie than a tart, consisting of a buttery pastry and sweet pineapple jam. These are common mostly in east/south-east Asia with countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and China having their own versions.

Of course these can be consumed year round (I know I do because they are delicious!), but they are usually prepared in celebration of the lunar new year. With most things that are prepared during this time, the pineapple is a symbol of prosperity and wealth. So the pineapple tart is an essential to welcoming riches into the new year!

Shortbread cookie topped with pineapple jam

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do pineapple tarts last?

As long as the pineapple jam has been dried out enough they should last a week at room temperature in an airtight container, and about a month in the fridge.

A lot of other recipes will last longer, even a couple of months. However this is due to the sugar content of the pineapple jam. I wanted the tarts to be more balanced and less sweet so I reduced the sugar. Trust me they will be gone in a couple of days so there's no need to worry!

What kind of pineapple should I use for a pineapple tart?

A pineapple of medium ripeness is best! It should have natural sweetness whilst also having a little bit of a fibrous texture.

Canned pineapple work well too. Just make sure to squeeze the juice out of them before use.

How do I know when the pineapple jam is ready?

The pineapple jam will be ready when it becomes a thick paste like consistency and turns a dark golden brown colour.

Tips on Making the Perfect Pineapple Tart

Cook the jam for long enough
- If you undercook the jam it will be difficult to form them into balls
- Make sure the jam has been cooked to a golden brown colour before removing from the heat
- It should firm up as it chills in the fridge
Piping the cookie batter
- Don't pipe the batter in tall mounds as this affects the bake time
- Keep the piping tip a centimetre or two from the baking sheet when piping to create a flatter cookie

Let's Get Baking

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.

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Pineapple Tarts

Print Recipe

Buttery and crumbly melt-in-your-mouth shortbread topped with sweet pineapple jam. This is the upgraded version of the traditional pineapple tart!
(Cookie recipe adapted from bread, cake, doughnut, pudding by Justin Gellatly)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Yield: 24 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Pineapple Jam

800 g Fresh pineapple (28oz)
Sugar
Pinch of salt

Cookie

220 g Plain flour (1 ¾ cup)
80 g Cornflour/cornstarch (⅔ cup)
250 g Unsalted butter(1 cup 2 tbsp)
60 g Icing/confectioners sugar (little less than ½ cup)
Pinch of salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Pineapple Jam

Place the pineapple in a food processor and blend until smooth
Transfer the blended pineapple into a wide bottomed pan/pot, heat on medium high heat
Keeping an eye on the jam stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning, continue for about 30 minutes
When the jam has dried up sufficiently (you start to see the pineapple fibres) add salt and taste for sweetness, if too sour add some sugar to taste
Continue cooking until the jam reaches a dry paste like consistency that is darker in colour
Remove from heat and cool in the fridge
Once cooled roll 1 teaspoon portions into balls, reserve in fridge until use

Cookie

Preheat oven to 160C/320F
Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth
Transfer the cookie dough into a piping bag fitted with a sultane tip (if you don't have a sultane tip any star shaped piping tip will work great)
Pipe star shapes directly onto a cookie sheet (if you find it hard to pipe wait for the butter to soften a little more, otherwise pop it in the microwave for 5-10 seconds to hep it along)
Place a ball of pineapple jam in the centre of each cookie
Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly golden brown
Cool and enjoy!