This is an easy recipe for making sugar cookies with goldenberry jam, also known as cape gooseberries or Peruvian ground cherries. These cookies are crispy on the outside, soft in the middle. So easy – no mixer, just stir the ingredients together in a bowl. Perfect every time.
This recipe changes the game — top-tier, brand named ingredients, pro-chef hacks, and planet-loving choices that make every bite effortless and amazing. This cookie recipe also includes a gluten-free version, with a simple change and easy-to-find ingredients.
The ingredients in this recipe reflect a commitment to sustainability and thoughtful sourcing. The butter comes from organic dairies focused on long-term land stewardship, the flour is grown using sustainable agricultural practices, and the sugar is harvested responsibly without expanding into rainforest ecosystems. Even the goldenberry jam supports growers by providing a second use for fruit harvested in abundance.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Table of contents
What are Goldenberries?
Goldenberries, also known as Cape gooseberries (not to be confused with the green gooseberries) and Peruvian groundcherries, are small, round fruits encased in a distinctive papery husk. They possess a unique sweet-tart flavor. To make preserves from goldenberries, one can start by removing the husks and rinsing the berries thoroughly. They are then simmered with sugar and a splash of lemon juice to enhance their natural acidity, creating a vibrant and flavorful mixture. The cooking process helps to break down the fruit, allowing it to release its juices and combine with the sugar to reach a delightful jam-like consistency. Once cooked, the preserves can be canned for long-term storage, or enjoyed immediately as in this cookie recipe.
Ingredients
Using the best ingredients creates the best cookies. I name the brands I use in the recipe, so there is no guessing. There is a detailed explanation for why I use each brand on the “quality brands” page.
- All-Purpose Flour – King Arthur Organic All-Purpose flour King Arthur responsibly sources the wheat for their flours, and it pays off in the taste and quality. They have a “never bleached” guarantee, which means their flours don’t have an off taste or unpredictable results that can be caused by bleaching. They also carefully calibrate the protein content, so the flour gives you the same results everytime.
- Sugar – Wholesome regenerative organic sugar produced from organic sugar cane fields that are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Burning sugar cane fields contributes to air pollution, climate change, and is also a major cause of the destruction of the rain forest.
- Milk, Cream, Butter – Horizon Organics – Milk, Cream and Butter that are produced organically, sustainably, and responsibly. You can taste the difference.
- Sunflower Oil – La Tourangelle Organic Regenerative Sunflower Oil is a great substitute for butter. The flavor works well in cookies, and the oil gives the cookies a fudgy center and crisp edges.
- Salt – Diamond Kosher tastes cleaner and measures differently.
- Sorghum Syrup – We make our own brown sugar substitute by adding Golden Barrel Sorghum Syrup. More convenient than brown sugar and not made from sugar cane. It creates a taste like brown sugar but more like caramel than the molasses in brown sugar.
- Vanilla – Baker’s Imitation Vanilla Flavoring The flavor or real vanilla and imitation is indistinguishable when high heat is used. Double the usual amount of vanilla called for to improve the flavor.
No Affiliates Statement
We call this our “no affiliates” statement because we accept no advertising, have no affiliates and accept no payment. We are not paid to mention brands – we just love buying the best, sharing that information and saving the planet at the same time. The effort put into writing and photographing the blog is solely based on our dedication to the cause.
Sustainability
The ingredients in this recipe were chosen not only for how they taste, but for how they are grown and produced. My background in agriculture—working with soils, water systems, and sustainable farming practices—shaped the way I think about food long before I began writing recipes.
Over time, I’ve come to see that the best cooking starts long before the kitchen, in the decisions made in the field. This section highlights those choices, offering a closer look at the ingredients and the role they play in supporting a more thoughtful and sustainable food system.
By choosing jam made by local growers or from sustainably grown fruit, you are supporting small growers, reducing food waste, and helping keep diverse strawberry varieties in cultivation.
This makes every cookie a small but meaningful act of sustainability.
Method for making Cookies
This recipe uses an easy, foolproof method that requires only a few minutes of active time. Check out our Master Cookie Recipe for a more detailed explanation on how this works.
- Measure the dry ingredients by weight
- Measure the wet ingredients by weight
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together without overmixing.
- Chill the mixture
- Weigh out cookies
- Bake
This recipe uses our Master Cookie Recipe. An easy, foolproof, updated way of making cookies.
Why this works
These cookies are made with all the best quality ingredients and an updated master cookie recipe, so the recipe is easy, accurate, and foolproof. With a background in agriculture and a knowledge of sustainable products, I found the best quality ingredients that will provide consistency and flavor. Because I helped create California’s organic regulations, I deeply value sustainable food — and all my recipes are designed around the best possible ingredients. The ingredients are chosen for taste, but they also support growers who are using sustainable growing methods. This makes every cookie a small but meaningful act of sustainability.
Variations
- Swap the filling — Try a different filling for your next batch.
- Add lemon zest to the dough — A little bit goes a long way.
- Use for ice cream sandwiches — Pair with French vanilla ice cream made with our Master Ice Cream Recipe to make ice cream sandwiches.
Gifting
Blood orange marmalade cookies feel special and handcrafted. Their bright centers look beautiful in gift boxes, and the citrus flavor keeps them from being overly sweet. They stay soft for several days thanks to the oil in the dough, making them ideal for mailing or bringing to celebrations. And the citrus flavor makes them perfect for the Christmas Holiday season.
Gluten-Free Version
I’ve tested a gluten-free version of this recipe using King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour, and the method stays almost exactly the same. The finished cookies have the same appearance, flavor, and structure as the original, with only a slightly different texture. They are still crisp on the edges and tender in the middle. Most tasters would never guess these cookies are gluten-free.
RECIPE
Equipment
- Vollrath cookie sheet 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- Silpat silicone baking mat 11⅝” x 16½”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- cooling rack 11¾” x 17”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- round cookie cutter cookie cutter
CHOOSING BRANDS:
For certain products, the choice of brand will make a big difference in the outcome of the recipe and in your carbon footprint. So, for those products, we have listed the brand. We are not paid to mention a brand and have no affiliates.
Ingredients
- 300 grams King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 300 grams Wholesome regenerative organic sugar
- 85 grams Horizon butter melted or browned
- 85 grams La Tourangelle regenerative sunflower oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Baker’s imitation vanilla flavoring
- 10 teaspoons Goldenberry preserves If you can't find goldenberry preserves, you can use fresh goldenberries. Add sugar to taste, and cook in a pan until they are thick, then cool.
- 130 grams sugar sparkling sugar, Demerara sugar or turbinado sugar, or a mixture.
Instructions
MEASURE THE INGREDIENTS BY WEIGHT – place a mixing bowl on the scale and zero the scale before adding each ingredient. Measuring by weight is the secret to perfect cookies every time.
- Gather all the ingredients and equipment together to make sure you have everything you need. No need to let the ingredients come to room temperature or measure ahead of time, since each ingredient is measured directly into the bowls.
- Place a medium sized bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, Set the bowl aside.
- Place a large mixing bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the sugar, melted butter and the oil. Remove the bowl from the scale. Stir with a large spoon until completely mixed.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Stir until completely mixed.
- Add the flour mixture. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Do not overwork the batter.
- Using a kitchen scale, measure out 80 grams of cookie dough for each cookie and roll into a ball. The cookies can be baked immediately, but they will have better flavor and texture and will spread less if they are refrigerated for at least four hours or overnight.
BAKE THE COOKIES
- Preheat the oven to 350° F for at least 20 minutes. Use an oven thermometer to check the temperature. Put the baking mat on the cookie sheet.
- Flatten the ball a little and place one teaspoon of preserves in the center. Fold the surrounding cookie dough into the center to partially cover the preserves.
- Sprinkle the sparkling sugar over each cookie. Place the cookies on the mat, leaving a two inch space between each ball.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time, in the center of the oven. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the cookie sheet halfway through baking. Bake until cookies are just starting to brown, but still puffy, and the centers are still soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Test for doneness by lifting a cookie with the thin metal spatula half way under the cookie to see if it is browned on the bottom and stays flat instead of bending or liquid in the middle. When they are done, remove the cookie sheet from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet. Shape the cookies while they are cooling on the cookie sheet by using a round cookie cutter that is a little bigger than the cookies to make them perfectly round. Place the cookie cutter over each cookie and use a slow, careful swirling motion to push the edges into a round shape. Be careful not to cause the cookies to crack.
- Use the thin metal spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Allow the cookie sheet to cool before putting another batch of cookies on it.
Notes
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS A GAME CHANGER:
This recipe is a total game-changer — crafted with the finest [brand name] ingredients, simplified using a master recipe with pro-tested techniques from top chefs and bakers, and designed for deliciously sustainable cooking made easy.”
What is the best flour for sugar cookies
King Arthur All-Purpose Flour
What is the secret to a perfect sugar cookie
Follow the recipe exactly. Use a the best ingredients. Use a scale. Measure in Grams. Chill the dough.
More Cookie Recipes made from our Master Cookie Recipe
These recipes use our Master Cookie Recipe. An easy, foolproof, and updated way of making cookies.
True to The Master Pantry philosophy, this recipe combines the best seasonal ingredients and quality brands with homemade methods to maximize both flavor and sustainability. It was inspired by our travels and works well as a holiday recipe.
Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography
Recipes created by Lisa LeCoump — Food Photographer, Agricultural Expert, and Home Baker. Sharing master recipes, chef secrets, and sustainable baking for every kitchen.