Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Recipe — Simple Homemade Treat

These rich, buttery strawberry shortbread cookies are bursting with berry flavor. Freeze-dried strawberries provide concentrated strawberry taste and a subtle natural pink hue. The dough comes together quickly and holds its shape while baking, making it ideal for cutout cookies. A simple powdered sugar glaze finishes them with sweet shine and optional freeze-dried strawberry garnish.

I love baking with freeze-dried fruit. The concentrated powders from strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries work beautifully in frostings and cookie dough. Freeze-dried mango gives a bold tropical flavor in mango cookies, and here I experimented with packing intense strawberry flavor into a shortbread cookie—the result is delightful.

Fresh strawberries can be difficult to add to baked goods because of their water content. Freeze-dried strawberries are perfect for this because they deliver bright strawberry flavor without moisture. Pulse them in a food processor to make fine strawberry powder, then sift to remove seeds for a smooth texture.

This recipe combines vibrant strawberry flavor with the tender, crumbly texture of classic shortbread. The dough is sturdy and doesn’t spread, so it’s great for shaped cookies. A thin glaze adds sweetness and a pretty finish.

Ingredients

* See recipe card for exact measurements and the full ingredient list.

For the cookies

• Unsalted butter — room temperature. Unsalted butter lets you control salt in the recipe.
• Powdered sugar — provides sweetness and a delicate texture; sift to remove lumps.
• Kosher salt — enhances flavor.
• Vanilla extract — adds depth of flavor.
• Freeze-dried strawberries — make sure they are freeze-dried, not just dehydrated. Pulse to a powder and sift to remove seeds. Buy an extra pack if you want to use pieces as decoration.
• All-purpose flour — gives structure; weighing flour yields the most consistent results.

For the glaze

• Powdered sugar — sifted for a smooth glaze.
• Whole milk — thins the glaze to a dip-able consistency; add a splash at a time to control thickness.

Instructions

The steps below guide you through making these strawberry shortbread cookies.

Step 1: Place the freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and process until very fine, about 60 seconds. Let the dust settle, then pass the powder through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds. Set aside.

Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium for about 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla, and the sifted strawberry powder.

Step 3: Mix on low until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated and no lumps of butter remain. Scrape down the bowl as needed.

Step 4: Add the flour and mix on low until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Step 5: Increase speed to medium and mix just until the dough comes together.

Step 6: Turn the dough onto a rectangle of parchment, top with another piece of parchment, and roll to ½ inch (1.27 cm) thickness. Remove the top parchment.

Step 7: Cut shapes with your cookie cutter and transfer cutouts to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Re-roll scraps and cut more cookies. Chill the cutouts in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking.

Hint: Press dough out of the cutter from the bottom, then place each cookie right-side-up on the sheet to avoid leaving visible finger marks.

Step 8: Bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 24 minutes, until cookies are set, pale pink, and just beginning to color at the edges. They will firm up as they cool—allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet before glazing.

Step 9: For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar with whole milk in a bowl until smooth. Dip each cooled cookie into the glaze, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. If desired, sprinkle small bits of freeze-dried strawberry on the wet glaze. Place glazed cookies on parchment to set.

Variations

Try these ideas to vary the cookies:

• Strawberry crunch — Reserve some freeze-dried strawberries and break them into tiny pieces (not powder). Fold into the dough with the flour for little bursts of texture.
• Citrus glaze — Substitute lemon or orange juice for some or all of the milk in the glaze for a bright citrus note. Blood orange juice gives a lovely pink glaze.
• Strawberry glaze — Stir a small amount of thin strawberry jam or more freeze-dried strawberry powder into the glaze for extra fruit flavor and color. Add a drop of milk if needed to reach dipping consistency.
• Chocolate bits — Finely chop 1.5–2 oz (¼–⅓ cup) good-quality chocolate into very small pieces and fold into the dough after adding flour.

Equipment

• Food processor — easiest way to turn whole freeze-dried strawberries into powder. A spice grinder can work in a pinch, or place the berries in a sealed bag, remove air, and crush with a rolling pin.
• Fine mesh sieve — to remove strawberry seeds from the powder for a smoother dough.
• Cookie cutters — any shape works; a 2″ heart is shown here but feel free to choose your favorite.

Storage

Allow glaze to harden completely before storing. Stack cookies in an airtight container with parchment between layers. Stored at room temperature and well sealed, they keep up to one week. Baked shortbread also freezes well in an airtight container for up to three months.

Recipe tips

Glazing

Dip only the top of each fully cooled cookie into the glaze and let excess drip off before placing on parchment to set. If glaze runs down the sides, you’re using too much—dip gently and let it drip off patiently.

Decorating

Buy an extra package of freeze-dried strawberries if you plan to sprinkle pieces on the glaze. One typical small package provides the amount needed for the dough, and additional pieces make a pretty garnish.

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating. Your feedback and tips help other bakers!

Recipe

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