Best-Ever Pineapple Cookies (Pineapple Tarts)

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Best-ever Pineapple Cookies or Pineapple Tarts - buttery, crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth pastry with pineapple filling, the best pineapple tarts ever.

Easy and delicious pineapple cookies or pineapple tarts with pineapple filling.
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Pineapple Cookies

Every year before Chinese New Year, I would bake trays and trays of pineapple tarts, a must-have Chinese New Year cookies in Malaysia, my home country.

Just like Turkey to Thanksgiving, no Chinese New Year is complete without pineapple tarts.

Called “Nastar” in local language, pineapple tarts are basically a cookie with a pineapple filling, in a buttery and crumbly pastry.

They are mostly referred as pineapple tarts in Malaysia and Singapore.

Some call them pineapple cakes (but they are not really cakes), pineapple shortcakes, pineapple cookies, or pineapple pastries. Regardless of its name, they are ABSOLUTELY delicious and the most AMAZING cookie ever.

The filling is from fresh and juicy pineapple, which is cooked and reduced to a golden-color pineapple jam filling. No words can describe just how awesome they taste, and I can’t think of any, ANY, cookies that would top this.

Simple as that.

Now, I am not being biased as I have served these pineapple cookies to many friends from all over the world – Americans, Europeans, Persians, Chinese, Taiwanese, Koreans, Mexicans, Vietnamese, Indians, and everyone would agree that these dainty and beautiful cookies are basically out of this world.

Many came back to me and ask for more.

So, if you wanted to know what the best tasting cookies in the world taste like and introduce your culinary palate to something new, make these pineapple cookies. They will take some time, but you won’t regret it.

I GUARANTEE you!

Over the years, I have tried many recipes, and they all become my favorites.

This year, I tried a new recipe from an amazing Malaysian food blogger Sonia (you can follow her on Instagram) at Nasi Lemak Lover, and I have to say that this recipe is currently my favorite recipe at the moment and Sonia is happy to share her recipe with Rasa Malaysia readers.

The pastry is made of four basic ingredients: flour, butter, egg yolk, and condensed milk.

This recipe yields utterly scrumptious and perfect pastry—super buttery, crumbly and addictive pineapple cookies that won’t stick to your mouth and teeth…they are just unbelievably good!!

Chinese mini pineapple cookie pastries, stacked together in a basket.

Ingredients

Ingredients for pineapple cookies and egg wash.

Ingredients For Pineapple Cookies

  • All purpose flour
  • Butter
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Egg yolk

Ingredients For Egg Wash

  • Egg yolk
  • Sweetened condensed milk
  • Cooking oil
Ingredients for pineapple cookies filling.

Ingredients For Pineapple Cookies Filling

  • Pineapple
  • Cloves
  • Sugar
  • Lemon juice

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.


How To Make This Recipe

Blended pineapple and cloves in a pot being mixed with a spatula.

Step 1: Cut the stalk off the pineapple and follow by the skin. Make sure all divits are removed. Slice the pineapple flesh into pieces and blend in a blender until they become puree. Add the pineapple puree and cloves to a non-stick pot and cook on medium heat, constantly stirring to avoid burning.

Pineapple cookie filling in a pot.

Step 2: When the pineapple is almost dry, add the sugar and lemon juice, stir to combine well. Lower the heat to simmer and continue to stir until the pineapple filling turns golden in color and becomes very sticky. Transfer the pineapple filling out, remove the cloves and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Pineapple cookie dough ingredients in a bowl being mixed with a spatula.

Step 3: Cream the butter and condensed milk until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk one at a time, and beat until well combined. Mix in the flour slowly to form the pastry dough. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands.

Egg wash in a bowl on a wooden platter.

Step 4: Prepare the egg wash by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Flattened pineapple cookie dough on a palm.

Step 5: Divide the pineapple filling and dough into 100 portions. Roll them both into balls. To wrap, use your palms to roll each dough and then flatten it.

Edges of the flattened dough being pinched together with pineapple filling in middle.

Step 6: Add a pineapple ball in the middle and fold the edges of the dough up to cover the filling.

Pineapple cookie dough with filling being rolled into a ball.

Step 7: Finish it off by rolling it into a round ball.

Pineapple cookies with criss-cross shape on top on a baking sheet.

Step 8: Place the pineapple cookie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using the back of a paring knife, cut the criss-cross shape on the cookie, and brush the top of the cookie with the egg wash, twice. Repeat the same until all ingredients are used up.

Cooled pineapple cookies served in a basket.

Step 9: Bake in a preheated oven at 330°F (165°C) for about 20-22 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Transfer them out and cool on a wire crack before storing in an airtight container.


Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is only 441 calories per serving.

Easy homemade Chinese pineapple cookies or pineapple tarts ready to serve.

What To Serve With This Recipe

Easy and delicious homemade buttery, crumbly mini pineapple tarts pastry.

Other amazing pineapple tarts recipes can be found here on Rasa Malaysia.

Happy baking!

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for new updates.

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4.49 from 360 votes

Best-Ever Pineapple Cookies (Pineapple Tarts) Recipe

Best-ever Pineapple Cookies or Pineapple Tarts – buttery, crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth pastry with pineapple filling, the best pineapple tarts ever.
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 people
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Ingredients  

  • 3 sticks (350 g) butter or unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 3 1/2 oz (100g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 18 oz. (510g) all-purpose flour or plain flour

Pineapple Filling:

  • 16 lbs (7 kg) whole pineapples (2 whole / 3 1/2 kg or 5 lbs. (2 1/2 kg pineapple flesh))
  • 1/2 tablespoon cloves, optional
  • 1 – 1 1/2 cups sugar, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Egg Wash:

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/4 teaspoon condensed milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon oil

Instructions 

  • Cut the stalk off the pineapple and follow by the skin. Make sure all divits are removed. Slice the pineapple flesh into pieces and blend in a blender until they become puree. Add the pineapple puree and cloves to a non-stick pot and cook on medium heat, constantly stirring to avoid burning.
  • When the pineapple is almost dry, add the sugar and lemon juice, stir to combine well. Lower the heat to simmer and continue to stir until the pineapple filling turns golden in color and becomes very sticky. Transfer the pineapple filling out, remove the cloves and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Cream the butter and condensed milk until light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk one at a time, and beat until well combined. Mix in the flour slowly to form the pastry dough. The dough is ready when it no longer sticks to your hands.
  • Prepare the egg wash by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
  • Divide the pineapple filling and dough into 100 portions. Roll them both into balls. To wrap, use your palms to roll each dough and then flatten it.
  • Add a pineapple ball in the middle and fold the edges of the dough up to cover the filling.
  • Finish it off by rolling it into a round ball.
  • Place the pineapple cookie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using the back of a paring knife, cut the criss-cross shape on the cookie, and brush the top of the cookie with the egg wash, twice. Repeat the same until all ingredients are used up.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 330°F (165°C) for about 20-22 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Transfer them out and cool on a wire crack before storing in an airtight container.

Video

Notes

  • The pineapples filling is good for two batches of pineapple tarts.
  • You can keep the pineapple filling in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 12people, Calories: 441kcal, Carbohydrates: 99g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 18mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 61g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Bee Yinn Low

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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358 Comments

  1. erica says:

    thank you for this recipe :-) overall itโ€™s really good but my tarts are coming out a bit flaky/crumbly. iโ€™ve already reduced the amount of flour slightly – is there anything else i could do to fix this problem? thank you!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Erica. The tarts are supposed to have a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture. But you can increase the amount of butter to make the dough a bit more manageable. Happy baking!

  2. Lei says:

    Thank you for sharing this!

    How much yield does one batch of your pineapple paste have? (i intend to use ready-made pineapple paste)

    And how much pastry do you use for one pineapple tart?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Lei. This recipe is supposed to yield about 90-100 pcs of pineapple cookies. So, it would be wise to divide your filling and your pastry by weight into the specific sizes. H

  3. Alia says:

    Would you recommend straining the pineapple juice after pureeing the pineapple? If not, about how long does it take for the puree to become the golden, sticky-like consistency? Thanks in advance!

    1. Bee Yinn Low says:

      Yes you can strain to cut down the time.

  4. Rita says:

    I got to the end and realised I made two times as much filling as I needed ???

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      ?

    2. Sian says:

      Thank you for sharing the recipe. Is there a recommended brand of condensed milk to use in this recipe?

      1. Bee Yinn Low says:

        Any brand is fine but it must be sweetened.

  5. Joey says:

    How long can the pineapple tart last?

    1. Bee Yinn Low says:

      A few weeks in air tight containers.

  6. Noelle says:

    Hiie, can i ask once baked, how long can the tart be kept? Thank you :)

    1. Bee Yinn Low says:

      A few weeks!

  7. AC says:

    Hello Bee, I tried your recipe for the pastry and it is just amazing! Thank you so much for sharing it

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      ??

      1. Manisa says:

        Thank you it was delicious and easy to follow. What is the shelf life of the cookies?

        1. Bee Yinn Low says:

          You can keep in air tight containers for weeks.

  8. melody says:

    Hi Bee,

    Can I replace condensed milk with icing sugar? If yes, is it 100g sugar? Thank you.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Please follow the recipe.

    2. Lillian says:

      My personal opinion is that the condensed milk is what makes the difference in this recipe, so I personally wont replace it with something else. :)

  9. Stacie says:

    Hi, do you fully enclose the ball of pineapple jam with the pastry, or leave a small opening as shown in the pictures? Thanks!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Fully enclosed.

  10. Lee says:

    In Msia it is no longer possible to get condensed milk. We only have condensed creamer. Will this be the same?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Yes of course you can get condensed milk in Malaysia.