Indulge in the heavenly marriage of delicate British-style biscuits and luscious strawberries with my delectable Strawberry Shortbread Cookies. These melt-in-your-mouth treats are the perfect balance of buttery richness and fruity bliss, promising a delightful burst of summer in every bite.
Get ready to savor the sweet, fruity flavor of my Strawberry Shortbread Cookies, a delightful, pretty-in-pink treat that's perfect for any occasion.
These strawberry cookies beautifully blend the delightfully crumbly texture of shortbread with the vibrant taste of vine-ripened berries. The secret lies in the addition of freeze-dried strawberry powder, giving them an irresistible punch of fruit flavor and naturally gorgeous hue.
Made with just seven simple ingredients, these heavenly strawberry sugar cookies are a testament to the magic that can be created with minimal effort. No need for any special equipment — these buttery, crumbly cookies come together effortlessly, ensuring that you can enjoy their delightful taste whenever the craving strikes.
Love all things strawberry? Check out my bright, fruity Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats & Strawberry Bavarian Cream Donuts next!
⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’re a fan of cookies, you’re going to love this fun, fruity twist on shortbread. Aside from bursting with a bounty of bright, berry flavor, this strawberry cookie recipe is also:
- Simple. All you need is 7 ingredients and about 15 minutes of active prep time to make these berry-flavored shortbread cookies. No stand mixer or paddle attachment needed. Easy, peasy!
- Beautiful. This strawberry shortbread cookies recipe is more than just a dessert recipe; it's an invitation to create edible art. The addition of freeze-dried strawberries not only imparts a wonderfully natural strawberry flavor but also a beautiful blush color that’s sure to make you smile.
- Versatile. As if that weren't enough to love, these strawberry butter cookies are also versatile in their presentation. You can either roll out and cut the dough into cute shapes for a whimsical touch or simply form a log and slice it into perfectly round circles to save time. You can also add your own touch by dipping them in chocolate, or sandwiching them with your favorite jam or ganache.
- Crowd-Pleasing. These berry-flavored bites of deliciousness have a rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture that is just begging to be paired with your favorite afternoon cuppa. Whether you whip up a batch to serve at your next ladies luncheon, or if you want to make pink heart-shaped cookies for your love, my simple strawberry shortbread recipe has you covered!
🍴Ingredients
As promised, this strawberry shortbread has a very short ingredient list. Every ingredient in this recipe has a role to play:
- Powdered Sugar: For adding delicate sweetness and contributing to their soft, crumbly texture. If you're fresh out, you can easily make your own using granulated sugar, cornstarch or potato starch, and a food processor.
- Unsalted Butter: The cold butter creates tiny pockets of air as it melts during baking, giving the cookies their characteristic lightness and flaky layers. If possible, opt for organic, grass-fed, cultured butter for the most pronounced buttery flavor.
- Egg Yolk: Using just the high-fat yolk helps create a tender crumb while still binding the ingredients together.
- Sea Salt: Adding a pinch of salt helps to balance out the sweetness and enhance the overall flavor.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder: This is what makes these cookies a true standout! It adds an intense strawberry flavor and a lovely color. You can easily make your own by blending freeze-dried fruit - like these strawberries for real strawberry flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Plain white flour is perfect for the base of this cookie recipe.
- Strawberry Sugar: Rolling your shortbread dough in this delicately flavored pink sugar adds an extra layer of strawberry flavor and sweetness. It's optional, but I highly recommend it!
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
⏲️ Substitutions & Variations
As much as I love this strawberry classic shortbread cookie recipe just the way it’s written, there are plenty of ways for you to put your own stamp on it. Here are a few optional ways to exercise your culinary creativity:
- Lemon Strawberry Shortbread: Give your cookies a zesty twist by adding about a teaspoon of refreshing lemon zest into the dough. The combination of tangy lemon and sweet strawberries will create a tantalizing burst of citrusy goodness in every bite! Pro Tip: Rub lemon zest into some of your strawberry sugar to get that strawberry lemonade sweetness in every bite.
- Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Shortbread: Elevate the indulgence factor by dipping the cooled cookies into melted dark or white chocolate. The luscious chocolate coating adds a decadent touch that beautifully complements the strawberry-infused shortbread.
- Almond Strawberry Shortbread: Add a delightful nutty flavor by incorporating a handful of finely chopped almonds into the dough.
- Gluten-Free: If you’re gluten-sensitive or a celiac, substitute the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend of your choice. Ensure the blend contains xanthan gum or add it separately as a binder, following the package instructions. Make sure to rest the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow the GF flour to rehydrate properly, otherwise you’ll risk a grainy consistency.
- Dairy-Free: To make these cookies lactose-free, replace the butter with a plant-based butter substitute or coconut oil. Make sure to use dairy-free chocolate if you’re leaning towards the chocolate-dipping variation.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
📖 Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine the powdered sugar, butter, egg yolk, and sea salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Step 2: Finish Dough. Add the dry ingredients - flour & strawberry fine powder into the food processor. Pulse until the dough *just* comes together and a dough forms.
Step 3: Chill. Separate the strawberry cookie dough into two portions and shape it into thin disks. Wrap each disk in plastic and set it in the freezer for about twenty minutes. (Alternatively, shape the portions into perfectly round logs and freeze for closer to an hour, or ½-inch thick rectangles .)
Step 4: Cut. Remove disks from the freezer once they've slightly firmed. Taking two pieces of parchment paper, place one piece of parchment below the dough and one on top. Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough to ½ inch and cut into circles or the shapes of your choosing using a cookie cutter. (If you opted for the slice-and-bake method, slice the logs into ½-inch rounds or the rectangles into equally sized strawberry shortbread bars.)
Step 5: Dip your cookies in strawberry sugar or coarse sugar (if desired) and return them to the freezer for best results while you preheat the oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6: Bake the cookies on a cookie sheet for 8-11 minutes, making sure that you take them out of the oven before you see too much browning occur. Allow your cookies to cool on a cooling rack or wire rack, then dig in!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips/Expert baking tips
- Don’t skip the chilling steps! Making sure your rolled-out cookies are nice and firm from the freezer will prevent them from spreading too much during baking.
- Invest in a kitchen scale. The easiest way to get consistently reliable results from your bakes is by using the same ratio of ingredients each time. This is particularly important when measuring out the flour for this crumbly strawberry shortbread cookie recipe — too much and your cookies will be dry and unappealing, while too little will yield a sticky dough that’s difficult to work with.
- To ensure even baking, aim for uniform thickness and size across your cookies.
- Want to make shortbread drop cookies? Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten each ball of dough to about ½" thick; use the bottom of a drinking glass, the tines of a fork, a cookie stamp, or whatever implement you think will make a pretty pattern. Bake the cookies as directed.
💭 Recipe FAQs
Store shortbread, well wrapped at room temp, in an airtight container for up to a week. You can also freeze them, wrapped in plastic wrap for longer storage. They would be a lovely addition to Mother's day or valentine's day and easy to make and store in advance!
As with pretty much any recipe that calls for butter, I suggest reaching for brands that are organic, grass-fed, and cultured. I particularly like European-style butter because it has a higher fat content than American butter. Brands like Kerrygold, Plugra, and Strauss are all great options.
If you’re using sprinkles, non-pareils, or sanding sugar to decorate your freeze-dried strawberry cookies, I suggest gently pressing them into the dough before baking so they stick.
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Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 70 g (½ cup & 1 Tbsp) Powdered Sugar
- 127 g (1 Cup & 2 Tbsp) Unsalted Butter, cold
- 1 Egg Yolk
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 3 Tablespoons Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder
- 163 g (1 ⅓ cups) All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ cup Strawberry Sugar, optional, to coat before baking
Instructions
- Combine the powdered sugar, unsalted butter, egg yolk and sea salt in a food processor and pulse until smooth.70 g Powdered Sugar, 127 g Unsalted Butter, 1 Egg Yolk, ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- Mix the flour and freeze dried strawberry powder in a small bowl - then add into the food processor and pulse until the dough just comes together.3 Tablespoons Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder, 163 g All-Purpose Flour
- Separate the dough into two portions and shape it into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic and set it in the freezer for about twenty minutes.
- Remove disks from the freezer once they've slightly firmed. Taking two pieces or parchment paper, place one piece of parchment below the dough and one on top. Roll out your dough to ¼ inch and cut into circles using a cookie cutter. Place the strawberry sugar in a shallow bowl and coat each side in strawberry sugar.¼ cup Strawberry Sugar
- Freeze shortbread for at least 20 minutes while preheating the oven to 330 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, making sure that you take them out of the oven before you see too much browning occur.
- Allow your cookies to cool on a cooling rack once baked and enjoy!
Notes
- Flash freezing the strawberry cookie dough before baking is crucial as the cold temperature will solidify all of the butter. If you skip the freeze, the cookies will spread in the oven and lose their round shape and tender texture.
- Another trick to successful shortbread cookies is to make sure you do not over-bake them! Tender, buttery shortbread cookies that melt in your mouth is the goal. Making sure your oven temperature is set accurately is imperative. I am a huge advocate of purchasing an oven thermometer in order to make sure that your oven temperature is accurate. While baking, if you start to see even the slightest browning near the bottom or top of your shortbread, it's time to remove them from the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack, and allow them to cool.
- To store baked cookies: Keep the leftover strawberry shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the fridge for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To store raw shortbread dough: Leave the wrapped shortbread dough in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You could also roll the cookie dough into a log and, when it’s time to bake, just slice off a few rounds and bake!
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