Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
Delight in these delicious and fragrant strawberry sugar cookies, featuring a tender buttery base infused with the natural sweetness and vibrant flavor of freeze-dried strawberry powder. Perfectly crispy on the edges and soft in the center, these cookies are rolled in sugar for an extra touch of sweetness and delightful texture.
- Author: Maya
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 14 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup butter (salted or unsalted, at room temperature)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberries (crushed into powder)
Finishing
- Additional granulated sugar for rolling cookies
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, usually about 2-3 minutes using an electric mixer. This step incorporates air into the dough for tender cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined, making sure the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and freeze-dried strawberry powder to evenly distribute the leavening and strawberry flavor throughout the cookie dough.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Form Cookie Dough Balls: Using a small cookie scoop measuring about 2 tablespoons, portion out 14 evenly sized dough balls. Roll each dough ball in additional granulated sugar to coat the surface evenly for a sweet and sparkling exterior.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the sugar-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow spreading during baking. Bake in the preheated oven for 9 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain soft.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing them to firm up perfectly before serving.
Notes
- For best results, use freeze-dried strawberries and crush them finely into powder to evenly infuse strawberry flavor without adding moisture.
- Chilling the dough for 15-30 minutes before baking can help maintain cookie shape and enhance texture.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To make the cookies gluten free, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
- Ensure butter is at room temperature to cream properly with sugar, improving cookie texture.
Keywords: Strawberry sugar cookies, freeze-dried strawberry cookies, easy cookie recipe, buttery strawberry cookies, holiday cookies