Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
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These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies are made with just 6 ingredients and are naturally pink thanks to the freeze dried strawberry powder!
Strawberries have a super high water content which can make them tricky to bake with at times but these Strawberry Shortbread Cookies have a secret ingredient that keeps them nice and crisp: freeze dried strawberries! Freeze dried strawberries are perfect for baking because they have a high concentration of flavor but no moisture. These cookies have that classic shortbread texture AND lots of strawberry flavor! They’re also naturally pink so I just couldn’t resist making some of them heart shaped. If you love shortbread, try my Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies, Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies or Matcha Shortbread Cookies!
Ingredient Breakdown
All-purpose flour – this gives the cookies structure.
Butter – provides flavor and structure. I always recommend using unsalted butter but salted butter works if that’s all you have on hand, just be sure to omit the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Do not use cold or melted butter.
Granulated sugar – sweetens cookies.
Freeze dried strawberry powder – gives the cookies their strawberry flavor and pink color. If you don’t want the strawberry flavor to be as strong you can decrease it to 2 tbsp. You can also use freeze dried strawberries and just grind them into a powder yourself.
Vanilla extract and salt – enhances flavor. Always use pure vanilla extract instead of imitation for best flavor.
How To Make Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
1. In a small bowl whisk all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.
2. Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, freeze dried strawberry powder and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
3. Add the dry ingredients all at once then mix on low speed until just combined.
4. Divide dough in half then shape into flat discs. Wrap each tightly with plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
5. On a floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies and place on a baking sheet then freeze for at least 5 minutes.
6. Bake cookies at 325°F for 12 minutes or until the edges begin to lightly brown then allow to cool completely (my cookies were 2 inches but you may have to adjust the baking time if your cookies are smaller/larger). Repeat with the second disc of dough. You can reroll the dough scraps up to 2 more times. If desired, decorate cookies with melted white chocolate. Store Strawberry Shortbread Cookies in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature.
Pro Tips For Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Don’t over mix the dough! Only mix until the dry ingredients are just combined. Over mixing = more gluten development which means tough cookies. We don’t want any tough cookies here!
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle oven rack. This ensures that there is even heat circulation.
- Keep the shortbread cookie dough cold! If you put warm cookies in the oven they will spread so I recommend freezing the cookies for a few minutes before baking them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Freeze Dried Strawberries?
Freeze dried strawberries might sound weird but they’re just strawberries with all of their moisture taken out. This makes them great for baking because they can add a lot of strawberry flavor without adding any unnecessary moisture. For these cookies I used freeze dried strawberry powder but you can also use freeze dried strawberries and just grind them into a powder yourself.
Can You Make Shortbread Cookie Dough In Advance?
Yes! Once you make this shortbread cookie dough you can either refrigerate it for up to 3 days wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or freeze it for up to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in a zip-top bag.
Why do you have to chill shortbread cookie dough?
You need to chill shortbread cookie dough in order to make the dough easy to work with and to prevent your cookies from spreading too much. If you’re dough is warm then it will become sticky and difficult to handle. I recommend chilling your dough for at least 1 hours before rolling it out and chilling your cookies in the fridge or freezer right before baking them.
Why Is Shortbread called Shortbread?
Shortbread gets its name from its crumbly texture which is a result of the dough’s high fat content. The traditional ratio for shortbread is 1:2:3 (one part sugar to two parts butter to three parts flour).
What’s the difference between sugar cookies And Shortbread?
Unlike sugar cookies, shortbread is made without eggs or any leavening agents. Shortbread also has a more crumbly texture as a result of the dough’s high fat content. If you’re looking for sugar cookie recipes try my Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies or Sugar Cookies with Hershey Kisses.
My Favorite Cookie Tools
- Kitchen scale I love this scale, I’ve been using it for years!
- Stand Mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment Paper
- French rolling pin gives you more control than rolling pins with handles.
- Dough measuring strips for these Strawberry Shortbread Cookies I used the blue strips which are 1/4 inch thick.
- Circle cookie cutter this is my all time favorite circle cookie cutter set! I used the 2-inch cutter for these shortbread cookies.
- Heart cookie cutter – I also LOVE this heart cookie cutter set and used the 2-inch heart cutter for half of the cookies.
- Freeze dried strawberry powder
If you try this recipe then please leave a rating/comment below to let me know how you liked it and feel free to ask any recipe questions you may have! 🙂
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- 2-inch cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 300 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp freeze dried strawberry powder
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Melted white chocolate for decorating optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.
- Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream the softened butter, granulated sugar, freeze dried strawberry powder and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once then mix on low speed until just combined.
- Divide dough in half then shape into flat discs. Wrap each tightly with plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- On a floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies and place on a baking sheet then freeze for at least 5 minutes.
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes or until the edges begin to lightly brown then allow to cool completely (my cookies were 2 inches but you may have to adjust the baking time if your cookies are smaller/larger). Repeat with the second disc of dough. You can reroll the dough scraps up to 2 more times. If desired, decorate cookies with melted white chocolate.
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients using a kitchen scale! Measuring ingredients by volume is not accurate.
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, just be sure to omit the 1/2 tsp salt.
- Store Strawberry Shortbread Cookies in an airtight container for up to a week at room temperature.
- Strawberry shortbread dough wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and placed in a zip-top bag can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling and baking.
