Description
Sweet, buttery Strawberry Cookies melt hearts with their delicate crumb and fragrant berry essence. Rich shortbread-style dough blends creamy texture and subtle fruity notes, promising pure comfort in each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients (Dry):
- 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (75 g) freeze-dried strawberries, finely crushed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Topping (Optional):
- Powdered sugar or glaze
- Additional freeze-dried strawberries for garnish
Instructions
- Position the oven rack in the center and warm to 350F (175C), ensuring precise temperature. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, creating a non-stick surface for delicate cookie preparation.
- Create a smooth, aerated base by vigorously whipping softened butter with granulated sugar until the mixture transforms into a pale, fluffy texture. Incorporate egg, vanilla, and almond extracts, blending until perfectly integrated.
- In a separate vessel, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Crush freeze-dried strawberries into fine fragments, then fold them into the dry mixture, distributing the intense fruity essence evenly.
- Slowly introduce the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, gently folding with minimal stirring to maintain the dough’s delicate structure. Add milk incrementally, allowing the dough to reach a soft, pliable consistency.
- Utilizing a portioning scoop, form uniform dough balls approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons in size. Arrange them on the prepared sheet, maintaining generous spacing to prevent merging during baking.
- Tenderly flatten each dough ball using fingertips or the back of a spoon, creating a gentle surface that will yield a perfectly textured cookie.
- Slide the baking sheet into the preheated oven, monitoring closely for 10-12 minutes. Look for subtle signs of doneness: set edges and slightly puffed tops, ensuring the cookies remain wonderfully soft and pale.
- Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, facilitating a gradual cooling process. Transfer to a wire rack to complete cooling, preserving their delicate texture.
- For an elegant finale, dust cooled cookies with a whisper of powdered sugar or create a luminescent glaze by combining powdered sugar and milk. Sprinkle additional crushed strawberries as a decorative flourish, enhancing both visual appeal and flavor intensity.
Notes
- Swap freeze-dried strawberries with other dried fruits like raspberries or blueberries for unique flavor variations and colorful twists.
- Adjust milk quantity carefully to prevent dough from becoming too sticky or dry, ensuring perfect cookie texture by adding liquid incrementally.
- Store cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers to maintain softness and prevent crumbling during storage.
- Consider making gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with almond or oat flour for dietary accommodations without compromising taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg