Description
Delightfully tender and chewy strawberry shortcake cookies featuring a rich buttery dough studded with fresh diced strawberries and topped with crispy, golden shortbread crumbs. Perfectly balanced sweetness and texture make these cookies a nostalgic treat inspired by the classic strawberry shortcake dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Cookie Crumbs:
- ⅓ cup (40 g) all purpose flour
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons (46 ml) melted butter, cooled slightly
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies:
- 2½ cups (300 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (150 g) unsalted butter, room temperature (still cool to the touch)
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¾ cup diced fresh strawberries (about 5 – 7 strawberries)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Shortbread Crumbs: Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and baking powder until combined. Gradually add the melted butter using a fork, mixing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely; this makes about 1 cup of shortbread crumbs.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Prepare Strawberries: Dice fresh strawberries into small pieces roughly the size of mini chocolate chips. If berries are very juicy, pat dry gently with paper towels to avoid excess moisture in the dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream the room temperature butter with the granulated and light brown sugars using a mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and well combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until mostly combined, aiming to leave a few streaks of flour. Then gently fold in ½ cup of the prepared shortbread crumbs and the diced strawberries until just combined.
- Chill Dough: Cover the cookie dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours to let the flavors meld and the dough firm up.
- Prepare for Baking: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) about 20-30 minutes before baking. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons), scoop dough balls about 3 inches apart onto the baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookie edges are set and lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Add Topping and Cool: While still warm, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of shortbread crumbs over the tops of the cookies, gently pressing them to help them adhere. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store baked strawberry shortcake cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
- Cookie Scoot: Within the first minute after removing cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter slightly wider than the cookies to gently nudge the edges back into a round shape for a neater appearance.
- Shortbread Crumb Topping: For an attractive finish, top the warm cookies with additional baked shortbread crumbs so they stick well and add extra crunch.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
