Strawberry Cookies Recipe
If you’re on the lookout for a cookie that’s bursting with fresh, fruity flavor and a gorgeous pink hue, you’ve come to the right place. This Strawberry Cookies Recipe is hands-down one of my favorites to bake when I want something a little different — think soft, buttery, and packed with the unmistakable taste of real strawberries thanks to freeze-dried fruit powder. Trust me, once you make these, they’ll quickly become your go-to sweet treat for afternoon tea or sharing with friends.
Why This Recipe Works
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: They deliver intense strawberry flavor without adding moisture that would mess up your cookie texture.
- Balanced Sweetness: The combination of granulated sugar and a strawberry-sugar rolling mixture adds sweetness with a fun twist.
- Soft, But Not Soggy: The dough holds its shape well but stays tender, great for rolling into perfectly uniform cookies every time.
- Customizable Color: Adding a drop of pink food coloring is optional but really amps up the visual appeal — especially if you’re baking for a party or special occasion.
Ingredients & Why They Work
This Strawberry Cookies Recipe marries simple, pantry-friendly ingredients with freeze-dried strawberries, which are the real star here. Each ingredient plays a part in creating those lovely soft and flavorful cookies you’ll want to bake time and time again.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: They bring pure, concentrated strawberry flavor without extra moisture, which means your cookies won’t get soggy.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and helps create that tender cookie texture; unsalted lets you control the saltiness.
- Granulated Sugar: Essential for sweetness; part is creamed with butter, and part is used for rolling to give a slight crunch and sparkle.
- Pink Food Coloring (optional): It’s just for fun and makes these cookies visually stunning, but you can skip it if you prefer natural coloring.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and gives structure to the cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour: The backbone of your cookie, helps hold everything together.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- Baking Soda: A small lift agent to keep your cookies from getting flat and to help develop texture.
Tweak to Your Taste
One of the best things about this Strawberry Cookies Recipe is how easy it is to make your own. I often swap in a bit of white chocolate chips for extra indulgence or add a hint of lemon zest to brighten the strawberry flavor. Don’t be shy about making these cookies truly yours!
- White Chocolate Chips: I like to fold in a handful to add subtle sweetness and a creamy texture, which pairs beautifully with strawberries.
- Lemon Zest: Just a teaspoon brings a pop of freshness, perfect if you want a little zing on your cookies.
- Gluten-Free Flour: For those avoiding gluten, swapping the flour 1:1 with a gluten-free blend still yields great results.
- Natural Coloring: If you prefer to skip artificial food coloring, try a tiny amount of beet powder for a lovely natural pink shade.
Step-by-Step: How I Make Strawberry Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Strawberry Powder
First things first, pop those freeze-dried strawberries into your food processor and pulse until they’re a superfine dust. This step is crucial because the powder releases intense strawberry flavor without adding moisture. I save about a tablespoon of this powder separately — it’s perfect for that sugary coating we’ll use later.
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar
Next, beat your softened butter and granulated sugar together until fluffy and pale — around 2 minutes on medium-high with an electric mixer usually does it. Don’t rush this part; a well-creamed base means lighter, softer cookies.
Step 3: Mix in Strawberry Powder & Color
Mix in the reserved strawberry powder (minus the tablespoon you set aside) on low speed until everything is beautifully combined. This is also the time to add any pink food coloring if you’re going for that pretty pastel shade. A drop or two is enough — you want subtle color, not a neon cookie!
Step 4: Add Egg and Dry Ingredients
Stir in the egg until fully incorporated, then gradually add the flour, salt, and baking soda mixture over three batches, mixing just until combined to avoid tough cookies. This slow addition keeps your dough tender.
Step 5: Roll and Coat the Cookies
Whisk together your reserved strawberry powder with granulated sugar — this coating is the cookie’s finishing touch that gives a lovely crunch and a gorgeous pink sparkle. Scoop out dough balls with a cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons), roll them smooth in your hands, then roll each thoroughly in the strawberry-sugar mix. Space them about two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet so they have room to spread.
Step 6: Bake to Perfection
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 11 minutes — the edges should be set, and the cookies will still look slightly soft in the middle. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. This step ensures they firm up properly without breaking.
Pro Tips for Making Strawberry Cookies Recipe
- Use Room Temperature Butter: Softened butter creams better, giving your cookies a fluffier texture.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: When combining dry ingredients, mix just until combined to keep cookies tender.
- Pulse Freeze-Dried Strawberries Finely: Too coarse, and you’ll get unpleasant texture; too fine is perfect for that strawberry punch.
- Don’t Skip the Rolling Sugar: It adds a subtle crust and visual pop that takes these cookies from good to memorable.
How to Serve Strawberry Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I love topping these cookies with just a few extra freeze-dried strawberry crumbs sprinkled on top for an added natural strawberry crunch and color boost. Sometimes a light dusting of powdered sugar works beautifully too for a soft, snowy look.
Side Dishes
These cookies pair perfectly with a cup of hot tea, especially herbal blends like chamomile or mint. On more indulgent days, I serve them alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a quick dessert fix that everyone loves.
Creative Ways to Present
For birthdays or showers, I arrange these strawberry cookies on a tiered tray mixed with fresh berries and edible flowers — it’s colorful and festive. You can also sandwich two cookies with homemade strawberry jam for a delightful treat that tastes like spring in every bite.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
I store leftover strawberry cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, layering parchment paper between them to avoid sticking. They usually stay fresh and soft for up to 5 days, but honestly, they rarely last that long in my house!
Freezing
If I want to save these for later, I freeze the cookie dough balls before baking — just place them on a tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When I’m ready, I bake them straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.
Reheating
To refresh leftover cookies, I pop them in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3-5 minutes, which softens them up nicely without drying them out. Avoid microwaving, as it can make the texture rubbery.
FAQs
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Can I substitute fresh strawberries for freeze-dried in this Strawberry Cookies Recipe?
Fresh strawberries have a lot of moisture, which can throw off the cookie dough’s balance, making cookies soggy or spreading too much. Freeze-dried strawberries keep flavor concentrated without moisture, which is why they’re preferred in this recipe. If you want to use fresh, consider reducing other liquids and chopping them finely, but results will differ from the original.
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Where can I buy freeze-dried strawberries?
They’re often found in the dried fruit or baking section of most grocery stores. You can also order them online or find them at specialty health food stores. Just make sure you’re getting plain freeze-dried strawberries without added sugars or coatings.
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Can I make this Strawberry Cookies Recipe vegan?
Yes! To make these cookies vegan, swap the butter for a plant-based alternative and replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water) or another egg substitute. Texture and flavor might vary slightly, but they’ll still taste delicious.
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How do I prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking?
Make sure your butter is softened, not melted, and chill your dough slightly if it feels too sticky. Also, don’t overcrowd your baking sheet and maintain adequate spacing between cookie balls to prevent them from merging as they bake.
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Can I add mix-ins like nuts or chocolate chips to this recipe?
Absolutely! Feel free to fold in your favorite mix-ins after combining the wet and dry ingredients. Walnuts, almonds, or white chocolate chips are personal favorites that complement the strawberry flavor beautifully.
Final Thoughts
I genuinely can’t recommend this Strawberry Cookies Recipe enough. It’s the kind of recipe that brings a bit of joy and whimsy into your kitchen, with a flavor that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Whether you’re baking for yourself, your family, or a crowd, these cookies are sure to impress — and maybe even become a new staple in your baking rotation like they have in mine. So grab your freeze-dried strawberries and get baking; your taste buds are in for a real treat!
Print
Strawberry Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 22 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Delight in these charming Strawberry Cookies, featuring the vibrant flavor of freeze-dried strawberries finely ground to infuse every bite. Soft, buttery, and lightly pink with optional coloring, these cookies are rolled in a sweet strawberry sugar mix for an extra treat. Perfect for sharing or a special snack, they bake up in just 11 minutes for quick homemade joy.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (45 g) freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¾ cups (215 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pink food coloring (optional)
Coating Mixture
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon finely ground freeze-dried strawberry powder (reserved)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking.
- Prepare Strawberry Powder: Place the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and pulse repeatedly until ground into a fine dust. Set aside 1 tablespoon of this powder for rolling.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until well creamed.
- Add Strawberry Powder and Color: Stir in the remaining strawberry powder on low speed until combined. If desired, add a few drops of pink food coloring to achieve your preferred shade.
- Mix in Egg: Beat in the large egg thoroughly to incorporate.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the strawberry mixture in three parts using the mixer on low speed, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Make Coating Mix: Combine the reserved 1 tablespoon strawberry powder with ¼ cup granulated sugar in a small dish and whisk until well mixed.
- Scoop and Roll Dough: Use a 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop to portion dough. Roll each scoop into a smooth ball and then roll it in the strawberry sugar coating to cover completely.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the coated cookie balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet spaced at least 2 inches apart. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 11 minutes.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring them with a spatula to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Freeze-dried strawberries can be found in the dried fruit and nut section of most grocery stores.
- If you have pre-powdered strawberries, use 1 cup instead of 2 ½ cups freeze-dried strawberries.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Pink food coloring is optional and only used for visual appeal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg