Name: Strawberry Sugar Cookies with Sparkling Strawberry Sugar Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons cornstarch; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2 teaspoons cream of tartar; ½ teaspoon salt; 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar; 6 tablespoons (36g) freeze dried strawberry powder; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon pure strawberry extract (Amoretti Artisan Natural Wild Strawberry or Cooks); ½ teaspoon red gel food coloring; ½ cup white or red sparkling sugar (sanding sugar); 1 tablespoon freeze dried strawberry powder

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs, room temperature

3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar

6 tablespoons (36g) freeze-dried strawberry powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure strawberry extract (e.g., Amoretti Artisan Natural Wild Strawberry or Cooks)

½ teaspoon red gel food coloring

Sparkling Strawberry Sugar:

½ cup white or red sparkling sugar (sanding sugar)

1 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder

Instructions

Step 1: Remove butter and eggs from the refrigerator to bring them to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Step 2: Prepare the freeze-dried strawberry powder by blending the freeze-dried strawberries in a high-speed blender or spice grinder until fine. Set aside 6 tablespoons for the cookies and 1 tablespoon for the sparkling sugar.

Step 3: For the sparkling strawberry sugar, mix ½ cup sparkling sugar with 1 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder. Store this in an airtight container until use.

Step 4: In a stand mixer bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Step 5: Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, mix in vanilla extract, strawberry extract, and red gel food coloring until evenly combined.

Step 6: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, salt, and 6 tablespoons strawberry powder until well blended.

Step 7: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep cookies tender.

Step 8: Chill the dough for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

Step 9: Scoop dough using a medium cookie scoop into about 30 balls. Roll each ball in the sparkling strawberry sugar until evenly coated and place them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.

Step 10: Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the tops just begin to set. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Variations

For more intense strawberry flavor, try increasing the freeze-dried strawberry powder slightly, but be careful not to affect the cookie texture.

If you don’t have strawberry extract, use an equal amount of vanilla extract and add a tablespoon of strawberry jam to the dough for flavor.

Red gel food coloring helps enhance the pink color without adding liquid that could thin the dough.

Use white sparkling sugar if you prefer a subtler sparkle and color contrast on the cookies.

FAQs

Can I use fresh strawberries instead of freeze-dried powder?

Fresh strawberries contain moisture that can alter the dough’s texture, so freeze-dried strawberry powder is recommended for best results and to keep cookies tender.

How do I make freeze-dried strawberry powder at home?

Simply blend freeze-dried strawberries in a spice grinder or high-speed blender until very fine. Store the powder in an airtight container away from moisture.