Super Easy Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

Ever since I made my strawberry matcha cookies this summer, I’ve become obsessed with freeze dried strawberries, and that is what inspired these strawberry shortbread cookies. Using only 6 ingredients, this super easy cookie recipe gives you the perfect pink summer dessert. In this blog post, get all the tips and tricks on how to prevent your shortbread from spreading.

I love shortbread cookies because they are honestly some of the easiest cookie recipes to make. Recently, I got a set of new Totoro cookie presses, so I knew I wanted to test them out with these strawberry shortbread cookies. Whenever I think of Totoro, somehow I think pink because it was a huge part of my childhood and I loved pink as a kid (still do!). I loved the end result of this recipe. It’s sweet but not too sweet, and there is a strong strawberry flavor throughout. And how cute are these Totoro designs!

How I developed my strawberry shortbread cookie recipe

I adapted my black sesame shortbread cookie recipe for this cookie recipe. I experimented with different amounts of powdered sugar and strawberry powder to get the perfect consistency. After testing this recipe 3 times, I found that increasing the powdered sugar by 1/4 cup really help bring out that strawberry flavor, and made these cookies ADDICTING.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Freeze dried strawberries – It’s really important you use freeze dried strawberries and not fresh strawberries. This is a very dry cookie dough, so using fresh strawberries will throw off the balance of wet to dry ingredients.
• Unsalted butter – Helps bind all the ingredients together and gives this a nice tender texture.
• Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar is fine sugar mixed with cornstarch. Using powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar helps keep the cookie dough dry and preventing it from spreading.
• Vanilla extract – Adds more flavor to the dish. Substitute with 1 vanilla bean or 1 tsp of vanilla paste.
• Salt – Salt brings out the flavor of the other ingredients. A really important ingredient in all desserts.
• All purpose flour – Provides structure to cookies.

How to make strawberry shortbread cookies

First, break down 1 cup of freeze dried strawberries in a spice grinder until a powder forms. You should get ~6 tbsp of powder. Add powder to a food processor. Add 1 cup of unsalted butter, 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp of salt, and 2 cups of all purpose flour to the processor. Process until a dough ball forms. Remove from the food processor, cover, and let it cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Prepare 2 baking sheets by covering them with parchment paper. Once the dough is cool, roll it out until it is 1/4 inch thick. If using the Totoro cookie press, press the design into the cookie dough by rolling it on top of the cookie dough.

Using a 2.5 inch cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them onto the prepared baking sheet. After you cut out your first batch, combine the remaining dough, and roll it out to cut more cookies. Repeat this process until you run out of dough.

Cool in the fridge for another 30 minutes. The colder the dough is, the less the cookies will spread. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Bake for 9-11 minutes until the edges are slightly brown. Cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before serving.

Tips on how make the perfect strawberry shortbread cookies

Adjust the amount of freeze dried strawberries

You can adjust the strawberry flavor by add more or less strawberry powder made from the freeze dried strawberries. Keep in mind that the color and flavor will be lighter after the cookies bake in the oven.

What to do if your dough is too soft

If you feel like your dough is becoming too soft, stick it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before working with it again. If the dough is sticking to your hands, you may need to add more flour.

Use a silicone mat to roll out dough

I tested this recipe with and without a silicon mat, and found it easier to roll out the dough on a silicone mat. I can use it to rotate the dough as I roll it out, and the dough tends to stick less to the mat.

Cold dough helps cookie hold its shape

The colder the cookie dough before it goes in the oven, the less the cookies will spread. This is especially important if using the Totoro cookie press. The design will become less prominent as the cookie spreads more.

How do you store strawberry shortbread cookies?

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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