Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

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5 from 1 rating

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

These strawberry shortbread cookies are tender and buttery, and drizzled with a delicious strawberry glaze.

Prep Time20

Cook Time14

Chill Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: 40 cookies

Calories: 95kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened 226g
2 cups all-purpose flour 250g
1/2 cup powdered sugar 65g
3 Tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder - optional 25g
1/2 tsp fine salt 2g
small drop of pink gel food coloring - optional

Strawberry Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar 120g
2 Tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder 17g
2 Tbsp milk of your choice, room temperature 30g
1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted 15g
3 Tbsp strawberry jam 80g
pinch of fine salt

Instructions

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

Use an electric mixer to combine 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp of freeze-dried strawberry powder, 1/2 tsp of fine salt, and a small drop of pink gel food coloring (optional). The mixture might look a bit crumbly at first, but it will eventually form a soft dough once it's fully mixed. If the mixture isn't coming together, you may want to heat it in the microwave for a couple of seconds (literally 2-3 seconds, you don't want to melt the butter!) to help soften the butter.
Scoop the dough on top of a large piece of plastic wrap and flatten it out into a rectangle that's about 1/4 inch tall to make it easier to roll out once it's chilled. Wrap tightly and place in the fridge for an hour, or until it's firm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat mats while the cookie dough chills.
Unwrap the cookie dough and lay the plastic wrap out flat on your counter. We will be rolling out the cookie dough on the plastic wrap to make cleanup a breeze and to make it easier to cut out the cookies. Cut out shapes with a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter.
The cookies don't spread much as they bake, so you can place them about 1 inch apart. Knead the dough scraps back together, then roll the dough out again and cut out more cookies until you've used up all the dough.
Bake one tray at a time for 13-16 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through to help them bake evenly. Then place the pan on a wire rack and let the cookies cool fully on the pan.

Strawberry Glaze

While the cookies cool, make the strawberry glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder, 2 Tbsp milk of your choice (I use whole milk), 1 Tbsp melted butter, 3 Tbsp strawberry jam, and a pinch of fine salt.
Either dunk the fully cooled cookies in the strawberry glaze or drizzle the glaze over each cookie, then enjoy!

Video

Notes

Please refer to the substitutions & swaps section in the post above for any questions about ingredient substitutions.

Making These Cookies in Advance

These cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week. I'd recommend waiting to add the glaze until right before you serve them, though, as it can soften the cookies over time.

You can also freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container! When you're ready to enjoy the frozen cookies, place them in the fridge overnight to let them thaw gradually and enjoy them the following day.

Doubling this Recipe

This recipe makes about 40 cookies using a 2-inch heart cookie cutter. If you want to halve or double this recipe, go for it! Simply adjust the ingredients and follow the directions in the recipe card above.

Tips for Making the Best Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

Make sure the ingredients are at room temperature. It helps them mix together better and will give the cookies a smoother texture.
Properly measure your flour! I like to use a scale, but the fluff and level method works great too.
Chill the shortbread dough to make it easier to cut out the cookies.

Nutrition