Description
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies bursting with buttery goodness and juicy strawberries. Quick, easy, and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional but enhances the strawberry flavor)
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, pulverized into powder
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries (pat dry thoroughly)
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Strawberries Begin by preparing both types of strawberries. Place freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and pulse until you have a fine powder. Set aside. For fresh strawberries, dice them into very small pieces (about 1/4-inch), then place between paper towels and press gently to remove excess moisture. The drier your fresh strawberries, the better your **strawberry shortbread cookies** will turn out.
- Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Don’t rush this step—proper creaming incorporates air that helps create the perfect shortbread texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through mixing to ensure everything is evenly incorporated.
- Step 3: Add Extracts and Strawberry Powder Beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract if using. Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and mix until fully incorporated. The mixture will take on a beautiful pink hue naturally from the strawberry powder.
- Step 4: Add Dry Ingredients In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Overmixing will develop gluten and make your cookies tough instead of tender.
- Step 5: Fold in Fresh Strawberries Using a spatula, gently fold in the prepared fresh strawberries until evenly distributed throughout the dough. The dough will be somewhat crumbly but should hold together when pressed.
- Step 6: Shape and Chill Form the dough into a flat disc (for roll-out cookies) or into a log about 2 inches in diameter (for slice-and-bake cookies). Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. This chilling time is crucial for developing flavor and ensuring your **strawberry shortbread cookies** hold their shape during baking.
- Step 7: Bake Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. For roll-out cookies, roll the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters. For slice-and-bake, cut the log into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. The cookies will still look somewhat soft in the center but will firm up as they cool.
- Step 8: Cool and Enjoy Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. These **strawberry shortbread cookies** continue to develop flavor as they cool, so try to resist sampling immediately (though we won’t blame you if you can’t wait!).
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg