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    Home » Asian Dessert » Pineapple Cookies (aka Pineapple Tarts)

    Pineapple Cookies (aka Pineapple Tarts)

    February 3, 2021 by Catherine Zhang 8 Comments

    Jump to Recipe·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!

    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.

    Shortbread cookie topped with pineapple jam

    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
    Shortbread cookie topped with pineapple jam

    Let's Get Baking

    Now it's time to buy some pineapples! I hope you all liked this recipe, it should be useful with the lunar new year coming up. If you make this recipe make sure to tag me on instagram @catherine.justdessertsau and hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share all your creations.

    Leave me a comment and rating if you like these! Until next time... happy baking!

    Print

    Pineapple Tarts

    Shortbread cookie topped with pineapple jam
    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

    Instructions

    Pineapple Jam

    1. Place the pineapple in a food processor and blend until smooth
    2. Transfer the blended pineapple into a wide bottomed pan/pot, heat on medium high heat
    3. Keeping an eye on the jam stir occasionally to prevent the bottom from burning, continue for about 30 minutes
    4. 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
    5. Continue cooking until the jam reaches a dry paste like consistency that is darker in colour
    6. Remove from heat and cool in the fridge
    7. Once cooled roll 1 teaspoon portions into balls, reserve in fridge until use

    Cookie

    1. Preheat oven to 160C/320F
    2. Add all ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth
    3. 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)
    4. 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)
    5. Place a ball of pineapple jam in the centre of each cookie
    6. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until lightly golden brown
    7. Cool and enjoy!

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo, tag me @catherine.justdessertsau and hashtag #cattycakes

    I cannot wait to see what you make!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mikki

      February 04, 2021 at 9:58 pm

      I was just looking for a recipe! Thank you for coming up with a very simple one! Excited to bake this weekend!

      Reply
      • Catherine

        February 04, 2021 at 11:44 pm

        No problem! Hope you like the cookies 🙂

        Reply
        • Mikki

          February 05, 2021 at 9:44 pm

          Is the recipe missing any wet ingredient? Thanks!

          Reply
          • Catherine

            February 05, 2021 at 9:46 pm

            Nope! The butter hold it together, making it buttery and short 🙂

            Reply
            • Vi

              February 11, 2021 at 4:45 am

              should i let the dough sit for a while? it is a little think and pipping it barely comes out..

            • Catherine

              February 11, 2021 at 6:47 am

              Hi Vi,
              Yes you can let it sit at room temperature for a little bit if it is too hard to pipe. Hope they went well!

            • Camille

              February 21, 2021 at 6:18 pm

              Hi Catherine! These pineapple cookies look amazing! Do they keep well in the freezer? I want to make them this week to mail to my boyfriend, but I want to see how far in advance I can make them 🍍

            • Catherine

              February 21, 2021 at 7:44 pm

              Hi Camille! Yes they do keep well as they don't have any eggs in them. If you want to keep them for a long time make sure to dry out the pineapple jam a little more.

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    About me!

    Hi, I'm Catherine!

    My name is Catherine, a food blogger and dessert lover. If I look familiar you may have seen me on NETFLIX's Zumbo’s Just Desserts S2!

    As an Australian-Chinese pastry chef and recipe developer I share recipes and tips on desserts inspired by amazing flavours, fresh produce and of course my Asian background.

    Learn more about me! →

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