Description
Delight in these charming Strawberry Cookies, bursting with the natural sweetness and vibrant flavor of freeze-dried strawberries. These cookies feature a tender, buttery base enhanced by a pink strawberry powder that also adds a subtle texture. Perfectly coated with a sugar and strawberry powder blend, they’re baked to golden perfection, yielding 12 soft, flavorful cookies that are sure to brighten any snack time.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Powder
- 1 ounce freeze dried strawberries
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons); plus more for coating
- 6 tablespoons light brown sugar (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1 large egg, preferably room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
Coating
- Additional granulated sugar and any remaining strawberry powder (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). For easier cleanup, optionally line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the strawberry powder: Place 1 ounce of freeze-dried strawberries into a blender or food processor. Pulse and blend until mostly powdery while leaving some small strawberry pieces for added texture. Scrape down sides and lid as needed. Measure out a scant 1/4 cup of this powder and set aside any leftovers for coating.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the room temperature unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately one minute.
- Add egg, vanilla, and strawberry powder: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds until well combined. Stir in the scant 1/4 cup of strawberry powder until the dough is uniformly pink.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually incorporate the dry mixture into the wet ingredients about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until the dough becomes thick and cohesive.
- Form cookie dough balls: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion approximately 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie for larger 3-inch cookies. Roll each portion into a ball.
- Coat cookies: In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and any remaining strawberry powder. Roll each cookie dough ball in this mixture to coat fully, enhancing both flavor and texture.
- Arrange on baking sheet: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least two inches apart to allow for spreading. This recipe yields 12 larger or up to 18 smaller cookies (around 2 inches each).
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to rest on the sheet for a few minutes after baking, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Freeze-dried strawberries can be found in specialty grocery stores or online; they add intense flavor without moisture.
- Using room temperature butter and egg helps achieve a smooth, well-combined dough.
- For smaller cookies, use about 1 tablespoon dough per cookie and reduce baking time slightly.
- Coating the cookies in extra sugar and strawberry powder provides a lovely texture and reinforces the strawberry flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: strawberry cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, butter cookies, dessert cookies, easy cookie recipe, homemade cookies
