Easy Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crisp, with delicately soft centers and a fresh strawberry flavor. Made with freeze-dried strawberries, they bake up with a naturally pink color and concentrated berry taste without adding extra moisture to the dough. This 5-ingredient dough follows the classic shortbread method, creating cookies with lightly golden edges and that classic delicate crumb.

Why You'll Love These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

As a trained pastry chef, shortbread has always been one of my favorite cookie bases because it’s so versatile. With just a handful of simple baking ingredients, the dough can easily transform into different flavors and shapes.

And while these strawberry shortbread cookies look elegant with their natural pink color, they’re surprisingly simple to make (exactly the kind of easy weeknight bake I love!). Here’s why you’ll love them:

• Quick chill time: Unlike many shortbread recipes that require 1-2 hours of chilling, these cookies only need about 30 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
• Perfect for cutting into shapes: The dough rolls out beautifully, making it easy to cut into festive shapes like hearts for Valentine’s Day or flowers for spring. It’s also one of my kids’ favorite baking tasks.
• Keeps well for days: Shortbread cookies stay fresh in an airtight container for up to two weeks, making them perfect for enjoying with coffee, packing into gift cookie boxes, or saving for a sweet treat later.

More strawberry cookies to try: If you love fruit-flavored cookies, you will enjoy my strawberry sugar cookies and my soft and chewy strawberry cheesecake cookies.

What Are Shortbread Cookies?

Shortbread cookies are classic butter cookies made with a simple ratio of sugar, butter, and flour. Because they contain no eggs or leavening, they bake up with crisp edges and the delicate crumb shortbread it is known for. This dough is also easy to flavor, which is why it works so well for recipes like these shortbread cookies or my cranberry orange shortbread cookies.

Simple Ingredients You'll Need

One of the things I love most about this recipe is how simple it is. Even on a busy weeknight, you only need five basic ingredients to make these strawberry shortbread cookies. And despite the short ingredient list, the cookies still have plenty of wonderful buttery flavor and that beautiful natural pink color. Here’s what you need:

• Unsalted butter. Use good-quality unsalted butter (at room temperature!) for the best flavor and classic shortbread texture.
• Granulated sugar. The sugar sweetens the dough and helps create those lightly crisp edges that shortbread is known for.
• Vanilla. A little vanilla adds warmth and enhances the strawberry flavor. I always recommend using pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
• Freeze-dried strawberries. These give the cookies their fresh strawberry flavor and naturally pink color. Simply grind the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder using a blender or food processor before mixing into the dough.
• All-purpose flour. Flour provides structure and gives the cookies their delicate crumb. I recommend using unbleached all-purpose flour for the most consistent results.

Pro Tip: Do not substitute fresh or frozen strawberries in this recipe. Freeze-dried strawberries have had their moisture removed, which allows them to add strawberry flavor without changing the texture of the cookie dough.

How to Make Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder

Add the strawberries. Place the freeze-dried strawberries into a blender or food processor.

Blend into a powder. Process until the strawberries become a fine powder.

Note: You can usually find freeze-dried strawberries at Trader Joe’s, Target, or most grocery stores in the dried fruit aisle. You can also purchase freeze-dried strawberry powder online to skip the blending step.

Recipe Variations

• Use powdered sugar. For a softer, more delicate texture, replace the granulated sugar with an equal amount of powdered sugar.
• Add a little crunch. Fold in mini chocolate chips or finely chopped nuts for extra texture.
• Try different freeze-dried berries. Freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries work nicely in place of the strawberries.
• Add almond extract. Substitute ¼ teaspoon of almond extract for the vanilla extract for a subtle almond flavor that pairs well with strawberries.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Cream the butter, sugar, and flavorings. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and strawberry powder with a mixer until smooth and creamy.

Add the flour. On low speed, mix in the flour until a soft dough forms. The dough should come together easily but still feel slightly crumbly, which is typical for shortbread.

Roll out the dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll it out to about ⅜-inch thickness.

Cut the cookies. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the dough into shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.

5. Refrigerate and bake. Refrigerate the cookies and then bake them in a preheated 350°F/177°C oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly browned.

3 Tips for Perfect Strawberry Shortbread

• Measure the flour carefully. Too much flour can make shortbread dough dry and crumbly, while too little can cause the cookies to spread. For the most consistent results, I recommend weighing your flour with a kitchen scale.
• Use a rolling pin with removable rings. Adjustable rings allow you to roll the dough to an even thickness for perfectly baked cookies.
• Minimize re-rolling the dough. Try to cut your cookies as close together as possible. Re-rolling the scraps too many times can make the dough tougher and the cookies less delicate.

Storage Tips

One of the best things about shortbread cookies is how well they keep. Because they contain no eggs or moisture-heavy ingredients, they stay fresh longer than many other cookies.

• Room temperature: Keep the cookies stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
• Freezing: You can also freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before freezing to prevent condensation.
• Make Ahead: Make the dough up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate or freeze for up to 3 months.

Note: These cookies are also great for holiday cookie boxes or mailing to family and friends since they hold their texture so well.

More Strawberry Recipes You'll Love

❤️ Made This Recipe & Love It? ❤️
I hope you enjoy this recipe and that it becomes a family favorite! I would love for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! And please tag me on social @thesweetoccasion!

Easy Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

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5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Maria Pagiotas
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x

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Description

These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crisp, with delicately soft centers and a fresh strawberry flavor. Made with freeze-dried strawberries, they bake up with a naturally pink color and concentrated berry taste without adding extra moisture to the dough. This 5-ingredient dough follows the classic shortbread method, creating cookies with lightly golden edges and that classic delicate crumb.

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Ingredients

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• 226 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 110 g (½ cup) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder*
• 280 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour

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Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and strawberry powder on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the flour and mix on low speed until a dough forms. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly dust with flour, just enough so a rolling pin doesn't stick to the dough (too much flour will dry out the dough).
4. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to a ⅜-inch thickness. Cut into rounds using a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheet allowing 1-inch between each cookie. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.
6. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes or until the edges begin to lightly brown.
7. Cool for 5 minutes on the hot sheet pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Freeze-dried strawberry powder*: In a food processor, process freeze dried strawberries until a powder forms and sift to remover the seeds. You can also purchase freeze dried strawberry powder.
• Storage: Keep the cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
• Freeze: Store the cookies in a freezer-safe container and freeze them for up to 3 months. Make sure the cookies are completely cooled before freezing.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Chill Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Cookies
• Method: Baking