Nastar Cookies: Indonesian Pineapple Tarts That Melt in the Mouth
Nastar = Pineapple Tart
Nastar is basically the rich, buttery shortcrust pastry with homemade sweet pineapple jam as the filling. And it is what you call Pineapple tarts in English.
The difference is that pineapple tarts are shaped like mini pies. In contrast, Kue Nastar is more like cookies and shaped in either a small ball shape or a crescent. And filled with pineapple jam.
They are crumbly and have a finger-food kind of size. Similar to cookies.
These cookies are so well-known in Indonesia, especially during festive seasons such as Eid or Christmas.
Almost every household will make or buy the cookies as a part of the celebration. Hence, hundreds of recipe versions claim the best. Mine included.
The recipe that I’m sharing here will help you make delicious cookies with decadent pineapple jam filling. And the crumbs just deliciously melt in the mouth.
Simple Ingredients
The best thing about this recipe I love is that it doesn’t use too many ingredients.
In total, you only need five items: butter, flour, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and pineapple jam. For the jam, you only need pineapple, sugar, and vanilla.
So basically, you need 6 items to buy. Simple.
How To Make Scrumptious Kue Nastar
As the name explains, these cookies need pineapple jam. And you need homemade pineapple jam to ensure the quality is right.
Because the shop-bought jam usually has a light consistency that makes the cookie dough wet and potentially soggy.
If you never made the jam yourself, no worries. You can check my pineapple jam recipe, as it’s so easy to follow that you can make the jam right from the first attempt.
When you have your jam ready, you can make these mouth-watering cookies. I promise you, it’s very straightforward.
Firstly, you want to rub the butter and flour with your fingertips until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.
Add the beaten egg yolk and vanilla extract to the flour mix. Then, quickly mix until the two come together. Do not fret about the dough not being smooth; as you keep working on it, it will smoothen itself.
Thirdly, you roll out the dough into 3mm/ 0.12 inch thick rolled pastry. Then, cut it into circles using a 5 cm/ 2 inches in diameter round cookie cutter.
Place a teaspoon of pineapple jam onto each circle. Then, seal and cover the jam with the pastry edges. Shape and roll it into a small ball.
Lastly, place the cookie balls on a baking tray and brush the egg wash on them. Bake the cookies at gas 4/ or 180° C/ 350° F for about 20 minutes or until they are light golden and fully cooked.
Top Tips To Make The Melt in the Mouth Pineapple Tarts
- Don’t be tempted to knead the dough. We don’t want to cause the gluten to dance and rise too much. If that happens, the cookies will not be as crumbly and crispy. Instead, they will be hard.
- Try to work on the dough as quickly as possible.
- Ensure your pineapple jam is as dry as possible without any juice left.
Storing Tips
Keep the cookies in a tight-lidded cookie jar. They keep well for months—roughly 2-3 months if you can help yourself not to finish them all.
Please make sure you store the jar in a dry, cool place. Heat, cold, or dampness can cause the pineapple tarts to turn moldy.
This Kue Nastar makes a lovely present, too. It’s a personal touch that will make your loved ones or whoever receives it happy.
More Scrumptious Recipe Ideas
Don’t forget to check out my other cookie recipes that you may like.
- Healthy crunchy muesli recipe.
- Chocolate chip cookies with coconut oil and muscovado sugar.
- White chocolate chip and cranberry cookies.
- Soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies.
- Italian sesame cookies.
Thank you and all the best.
Nastar Cookies: Indonesian Pineapple Tarts That Melt In The Mouth
Equipment
- Mixing bowls.
- Wooden spoon
- Food processor
- Parchment paper
- Baking trays
Ingredients
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp salted butter at room temperature diced.
- 2 cups cups plain flour/ all purpose flour.
- 2 egg yolks lightly beaten.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional.
- 1 tablespoon recipe for pineapple jam.
- Cloves optional.
Instructions
- Sieve the flour into a mixing bowl and add the diced butter.
- Rub the butter and flour with your fingertips until they become like fine breadcrumbs. You can also use a food processor if you want to do it quickly. But take care not to process it for too long.
- Add vanilla extract (if using) and quickly mix until the dough just comes together. Do not be tempted to knead it.
- Preheat the oven at gas 4/ or 180° C/ 350° F temperature.
- Prepare and line a few cookie baking trays.
- Dust the work surface with a small amount of flour. Roll the dough into a 3 mm/ 0.12 inch thick.
- Using a 5 cm/ 2 inches in diameter round cookie cutter, cut the rolled dough into circles.
- Put about a teaspoon of pineapple jam onto each circle. And close and cover the jam with the pastry and roll it into a small round ball. Then place the ball dough on the tray.
- Beat the other egg yolk and brush the cookie balls with this egg wash.
- Insert one clove in every cookie.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cookies are golden in colour.
Notes
- As much as you may get tempted, avoid trying to knead the dough. Because you don’t want to cause the gluten in the flour to rise and make the cookies hard.
- Try your best to roll the dough out at uniform thickness. So the cookies will be cooked at the same time with the same quality of crumbliness.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutritional info in this recipe is only estimate using online calculator. You should refer to it as a guide only. Please verify with your own data if you seek an accurate info.
Coincidentally I made Pineapple Jam yesterday for the first time ever (with no pectin
Iike yours) and it is just wonderful, my favorite jam by far. Then i ran across your site this evening and now I can’t wait to make these tomorrow for sure. Thank you from Canada ??
Sorry for the late response. But I do hope your cookies turned out well to your liking. All the best from the UK.