Description
Delightful Strawberry Shortbread Cookies blend classic Scottish shortbread with fresh strawberry essence. Crumbly buttery layers melt in your mouth, offering a perfect balance of sweetness and richness that you’ll savor with each delicate bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (50 g) freeze-dried strawberries, finely crushed
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsps milk or heavy cream
- 2 tbsps freeze-dried strawberry powder (or strawberry jam)
- 1 drop or 2 pink food coloring
- Additional crushed freeze-dried strawberries
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- Dough Preparation: Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla and crushed freeze-dried strawberries until thoroughly incorporated.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Sift flour and salt together, then gently fold into the butter mixture, creating a smooth, pliable dough that comes together effortlessly.
- Chilling Process: Divide dough into two equal disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour to enhance flavor and texture development.
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 325F (165C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper, ensuring optimal heat circulation and easy cookie removal.
- Shaping and Cutting: Roll out chilled dough on a floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to create precise shapes, transferring them to prepared baking sheets with ample spacing.
- Baking Transformation: Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookie edges turn delicately golden. Allow cookies to cool briefly on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Finishing Touch: Craft a glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and freeze-dried strawberry powder. Drizzle over cooled cookies and garnish with additional crushed strawberry pieces or decorative elements while glaze remains slightly wet.
Notes
- Butter Temperature Matters: Ensure butter is softened but not melted for the perfect creamy texture that helps create a light, airy cookie base.
- Chill for Success: Refrigerating the dough allows gluten to relax and prevents spreading, guaranteeing crisp, well-defined cookie shapes during baking.
- Strawberry Intensity Hack: Crush freeze-dried strawberries finely to distribute flavor evenly and prevent moisture from compromising the cookie’s delicate structure.
- Glaze Consistency Control: Adjust milk quantity gradually when making the glaze to achieve the ideal drizzling thickness without becoming too runny or thick.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 202
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 40 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg