Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe
These strawberry sugar cookies give you the best of both worlds – the buttery comfort of a classic sugar cookie with a real berry twist that doesn’t come from artificial flavoring. I started making these when I wanted something different from plain sugar cookies but didn’t want to mess with royal icing or complicated decorating.
The freeze-dried strawberries are the key – they add intense flavor without making the dough wet or changing the texture. The cookies stay soft in the middle with slightly crisp edges, and the pretty pink color happens naturally. They’re perfect for spring gatherings or whenever you want something sweet that’s a bit more interesting than your standard sugar cookie. Kids especially love these.
What you need for Strawberry Sugar Cookies
Ingredients You’ll Need For This Recipe
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1½ cups white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Additional sugar for rolling
How to make Strawberry Sugar Cookies
1. Start by letting your butter fully soften at room temperature for about an hour – you should be able to easily press your finger into it but it shouldn’t be melty. This makes a huge difference in how your dough comes together.
2. While the butter’s softening, finely chop your fresh strawberries. You want pieces about the size of small peas – any bigger and they’ll make your cookies too wet. Put them on a paper towel and gently pat them to remove some moisture.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This helps prevent any lumps of baking soda in your final cookies (trust me, those aren’t tasty surprises!).
4. In a large bowl, cream your softened butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes. You’ll see the color change to a pale yellow and it’ll look almost whipped. Don’t rush this step – it’s key for getting that perfect cookie texture.
5. Beat in the egg and vanilla until they’re just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything’s mixed evenly.
6. Gradually add your flour mixture, about a third at a time, mixing on low speed just until you see the flour disappear. Over-mixing here will make tough cookies.
7. Gently fold in your chopped strawberries with a spatula. The dough will be pretty soft at this point – that’s normal!
8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. I know it’s tempting to skip this, but the dough needs to firm up so your cookies don’t spread too much.
9. When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
10. Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1½ inches across), roll them in extra sugar, and place them about 2 inches apart on your baking sheets. The sugar gives them a lovely sparkle and slight crunch.
11. Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown and the centers look set but still soft. The key is to look for cookies that are slightly puffed up and no longer look wet or shiny in the middle.
12. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes – they’ll be too soft to move at first. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
These cookies will stay soft and delicious for about 3 days in an airtight container, if they last that long!
🔍 Recipe Notes & Tips
- Don’t use frozen strawberries – too wet
- Room temp egg works best with softened butter
- Cookie scoop = more uniform cookies
- If dough is sticky, dust hands with sugar
- Rotate baking sheets halfway through for even baking
- Parchment > greased sheets (prevents spreading)
- Skip dark baking sheets – bottoms brown too fast
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Pair with:
– Milk (classic!)
– Iced green tea
– Strawberry lemonade
– Champagne (fancy brunch vibes) - Serve slightly warm for best texture
- Add vanilla ice cream for cookie sandwiches
🎯 Make it Work for
- Baby shower: Tint dough pink
- Valentine’s: Heart-shaped cookie cutter
- Summer picnic: Pack in tin with wax paper layers
- Holiday gifts: Stack in clear bags with pink ribbon
- Bake sale: Individual wrap for grab-and-go
📦 Storage & Leftovers
- Counter: 3 days in airtight container
- Fridge: Up to 5 days
- Freezer:
– Baked cookies: 2 months
– Raw dough balls: 3 months - Refresh: 10 seconds in microwave
Strawberry Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1½ cups white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh strawberries
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Additional sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Start by letting butter fully soften at room temperature for about an hour – you should be able to easily press your finger into it but it shouldn’t be melty. This makes a huge difference in how your dough comes together.
- While the butter’s softening, finely chop your fresh strawberries. You want pieces about the size of small peas – any bigger and they’ll make your cookies too wet. Put them on a paper towel and gently pat them to remove some moisture.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. This helps prevent any lumps of baking soda in your final cookies (trust me, those aren’t tasty surprises!).
- In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes. You’ll see the color change to a pale yellow and it’ll look almost whipped. Don’t rush this step – it’s key for getting that perfect cookie texture.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until they’re just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure everything’s mixed evenly.
- Gradually add the flour mixture, about a third at a time, mixing on low speed just until you see the flour disappear. Over-mixing here will make tough cookies.
- Gently fold in the chopped strawberries with a spatula. The dough will be pretty soft at this point – that’s normal!
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. I know it’s tempting to skip this, but the dough needs to firm up so your cookies don’t spread too much.
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1½ inches across), roll them in extra sugar, and place them about 2 inches apart on your baking sheets. The sugar gives them a lovely sparkle and slight crunch.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown and the centers look set but still soft. The key is to look for cookies that are slightly puffed up and no longer look wet or shiny in the middle.
- Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes – they’ll be too soft to move at first. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
