These Strawberry Shortbread cookies are made with freeze dried strawberries. They are dense, buttery and have the sweet taste of strawberries. They are great with an afternoon coffee or tea or for a special occasion like a bridal or baby shower. With a hint of pink they’d be great for valentine’s day, or anytime you’re in the mood for a fun, but simple strawberry treat.
Shortbread cookies originated in Scotland. They are made without a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. They are dense and the main ingredients are butter, sugar, and flour. With the popularity of freeze dried fruits rising it’s easy to find freeze dried strawberries and make a fun strawberry twist on classic shortbread cookies.
Where to Find Freeze Dried Strawberries
Freeze dried strawberries and other freeze dried fruit have become increasingly easy to find at grocery stores. I have been able to find them at several grocery stores in different states across the country, as well as at Trader Joes and Whole Foods. The freeze dried strawberries at Trader Joes are by far the least expensive ($2.99 for 1.2oz bag). At Whole Foods and other grocery stores they can be quite expensive, double the cost of Trader Joes or more.
How To Bake Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
I have made these a dozen times and I’ve found that my favorite way to bake these cookies is in an 8x8 aluminum baking dish. This is because you press the dense dough into the dish to create a thick dense and super satisfying cookie. It also gives you the added benefit of cutting a precise rectangle (or other preferred shape).
Cookies that are cut before baking will spread on the baking sheet as it bakes. This changes the shape of the cookie. This is of course totally fine, but the cookies will look different and have a slightly different texture.
It's easier to press the dough into a square baking dish, then cut the cookies after its baked than to cut out shapes and bake them on a baking sheet.
How Long Do These Cookies Last
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies last quite a long time. They will stay good wrapped in plastic on the counter for at least a week. This makes them an excellent cookie for bringing or mailing to friends because they are just as good on day 7 as they are on day 1.
Toppings
Here are a few ideas for toppings and cookie decorations:
- Add a sprinkle of granulated sugar
- Reserve a small amount of the powdered strawberries and sprinkle on top
- Dip in white or dark chocolate
- Add sprinkles or colored sugar
Strawberry Shortbread Cookie FAQs
These strawberry shortbread cookies are done after 25 minutes at 350℉. You can tell when they are done because the edges will be very slightly browned and the center is firm. The cooking time and temperature will change depending on what size and type of baking dish you use. This recipe is based on using an 8x8 aluminum square baking dish.
If you are cutting individual cookies prior to baking and baking on a baking sheet the time in the oven will be significantly shorter.
The best place to buy freeze dried strawberries is at Trader Joes. It is the least expensive and the quality is good. Otherwise, freeze dried strawberries tend to be widely available in many large grocery stores as well as Target and Whole Foods. Though sometimes you have to dig around at the store to find them.
These strawberry shortbread cookies are soft, but dense. They are not crunchy or hard.
Your cookies may be crumbly if the liquid-to-solid ingredient ratio is unbalanced. The dough should be fairly firm when pressed into the 8x8 baking dish. If your cookies are crumbly, you likely have too much flour (or on the flipside too little liquid i.e. butter or egg yolks).
Shortbread cookies are generally more crumbly than other cookies.
To make Strawberry Shortbread Cookies, in a large bowl combine the butter, sugar, crushed freeze dried strawberries, egg yolks, vanilla, salt and flour. Press into a prepared 8x8 baking dish and bake at 350℉ for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and slice into rectangles.
If you're looking for other cookie recipes, you might love these:
Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies: Super soft sugar cookies made with vanilla bean, vanilla extract, and easy vanilla sugar.
Crispy Salted Caramel Cookies: Crispy cookies with a puddle of gooey caramel in the middle and sprinkled with flaky sea salt.
Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies: Extra large and thick melty chocolate chip cookies with shards of chopped chocolate.
If you make these cookies, I'd love to hear from you and learn how it went. Leave a comment down below and let me know how it turns out! Your feedback means a lot.
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 1.2oz bag freeze dried strawberries or ¾ cup when crushed (Trader Joes)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Butter and flour an 8x8 metal baking dish or line with parchment paper.
- Add the dehydrated strawberries to a blender and blend until it forms a fine powder.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the butter and granulated sugar. Add the powdered strawberries and combine. Add the egg yolks, vanilla and salt and combine. Add the flour and combine.
- Add the dough to the baking dish and press into the corners with the back of a spoon or your hands to create an even surface.
- Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and cut into 16 rectangles 1 inch wide x 4 inches long.
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