Best-Ever Pineapple Cookies (Pineapple Tarts)
Published Feb 02, 2015
Updated Dec 09, 2024
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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.
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!!
Ingredients
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
- Pineapple
- Cloves
- Sugar
- Lemon juice
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
How To Make This Recipe
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.
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.
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.
Step 4: Prepare the egg wash by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.
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.
Step 6: Add a pineapple ball in the middle and fold the edges of the dough up to cover the filling.
Step 7: Finish it off by rolling it into a round ball.
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.
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
This recipe is only 441 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
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 Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.
Best-Ever Pineapple Cookies (Pineapple Tarts) Recipe
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This took me much longer than the 2 hours to prepare and make everything, but it was well worth it! Thank-you for the recipe. I realise pineapples are all different sizes around the world, but I’m in Canada and I have yet to see any 4 pound pineapples here! To save some time, I bought the already cored, fresh pineapple sold at the large supermarkets. If anyone else decides to go down the same route, I think actually 4.5 containers of already cored pineapple, will yield the right amount for the jam in this recipe. Each cored pineapple was 550 grams. I bought 4 containers of cored pineapples, but that actually yielded 80 balls of filling at 8 grams each. For me anyway, the 5 lbs (~2200 grams) of pineapple flesh was good for the original recipe to make ~100 tarts and I did not have any extra pineapple filling for a 2nd batch. Either way though, they turned out great and are so addictive and tasty! I’ve never tried anything like this here and haven’t seen it in grocery stores in Canada, so I’m glad to give it a shot. Hopefully I can try the real deal one day to compare!
Hi Vicky, yes, they are so addictive and very dangerous. Once you try them there is no turning back. I am sure yours turned out as good as mine. :)
I made these today and they turned out PERFECT! My friends couldnt have enough of them. Best recipe I’ve ever encountered for pineapple tarts. Thank you so much.
Thanks for trying the recipe.
Can someone tell me please if the fresh pineapple needs to be ripe for it to taste best? Thankyou x
Yes ripe pineapples.
Is there anything I can substitute the sweetened condensed milk with?
No.
Is it ok to use salted butter? I thought of doing today and i only have salted butter now.
Do you need a mixer for this recipe or can it be mixed by hand?
Mixed by hand.
Hi! Do I drain the juice after pureeing?
I have made your other recipe multiple times with wonderful results. I’m excited to try this one for my CNY party this year!
Yes, drain.
I have made this recipe. It’s too crumbly !! I like the dough to have some texture when eaten like those made in Taiwan but I don’t like the taste of custard powder !!!! Can you please help?
There is no custard powder in this recipe.
Hi Rasa,
It’s Steve again.
I made my second batch today.
taste and texture wise still good, like the first trial.
I cut the baking time from 20mins to 18 mins, and the color turned out really nice. I guess different oven ( or even the age of the oven played a part. My oven is only 2 yr old, so very ‘strong’ lol)
Thanks for your reply to my earlier questions.
by the way, which state in US are you in now ?
I used to live and work in Manhattan NYC for many years. And indeed, fruits and food are fresh, huge, and cheaper compared to asia.
Steve
Hi Steve, great that it turned out better today. You can also try my other recipe and see which one you like better: https://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-pineapple-tarts/. I am in Irvine, SoCal.
My mother has been making pineapple tarts for over 60 years now. She says not to blend the pineapple as it will cause the pineapple to be fibrous. Had bought pineapple tarts from many shops in Malacca and many of the pineapple jam are fibrous. This give a lousy feeling to the mouth as there will be fibers stuck in between the teeth. My mother chops (laborious) the pineapple. Grating is also OK. Blending is the lazy way.
I actually like the fibrous texture because it gives a certain mouthfeel to the feeling. But I am sure your mother’s way is the traditional way as there was no blending machine back then.