Frosted Strawberry Cookies

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I make these cookies whenever I want something bright and cheerful that tastes like strawberries rather than just looking pink. The secret is freeze-dried strawberries ground into a powder, which gives the dough a concentrated fruit flavor without adding extra moisture. The cookies bake up thick, soft, and slightly chewy, and the frosting adds a creamy finish. The dough comes together in one bowl, there’s no rolling or cutting, and they’re a hit at picnics, showers, and bake sales.

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 280 g (2¼ cups) all-purpose flour
• 30 g (1 cup) freeze-dried strawberries, ground into a fine powder (about ⅓ cup powder)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
• 100 g (½ cup) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 1 to 2 drops pink gel food coloring (optional)

For the strawberry frosting

• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 240 g (2 cups) icing (powdered) sugar
• 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tbsp whole milk or cream
• Pinch of salt
• Sprinkles or crushed freeze-dried strawberries, for topping

Directions

1. Make the strawberry powder. Blitz the freeze-dried strawberries in a blender or food processor until fine. Measure out 2 tablespoons for the frosting and keep the rest for the dough.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, strawberry powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. Add the wet ingredients. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, vanilla, milk, and food coloring if using, scraping down the bowl as needed.
5. Make the dough. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. The dough will be soft.
6. Chill. Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.
7. Heat the oven. Preheat to 175°C (155°C fan / 350°F) and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
8. Scoop. Scoop the dough into balls of about 2 tablespoons each and place them 5 cm (2 in) apart on the trays.
9. Bake. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look just done. Don’t wait for them to brown.
10. Cool. Leave the cookies on the tray for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Make the frosting. Beat the butter until creamy, then add the icing sugar, strawberry powder, vanilla, salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat for 2 minutes, adding more milk until it’s smooth and spreadable.
12. Frost and decorate. Spread or pipe the frosting over the cooled cookies and top with sprinkles or crushed freeze-dried strawberries.

Servings and Timing

• Yield: about 20 cookies
• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Chilling time: 30 minutes
• Bake time: 10 to 12 minutes per batch
• Cooling and frosting: 30 minutes
• Total time: about 1 hour 45 minutes

Variations

• White chocolate chip: Fold 100 g (⅔ cup) of white chocolate chips into the dough for extra sweetness and creaminess.
• Strawberries and cream: Pipe a swirl of cream cheese frosting instead of the strawberry frosting.
• Strawberry shortcake: Top each cookie with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh strawberry slice just before serving.
• Lemon strawberry: Add 1 tsp lemon zest to the dough and a squeeze of lemon juice to the frosting.
• Glazed version: Skip the buttercream and drizzle with a glaze of icing sugar, strawberry powder, and a splash of milk.
• Sandwich cookies: Spread frosting between two cooled cookies for a filled version.

Storage and Reheating

Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, since the buttercream is best kept cool. Let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Unfrosted cookies keep at room temperature for up to 4 days. The dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months, and you can bake them straight from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time. Frosted cookies can be frozen too, in a single layer first and then packed into a container. There’s no reheating needed, though 5 seconds in the microwave brings back that fresh-baked softness for unfrosted cookies.

FAQs

Why use freeze-dried strawberries instead of fresh?
Fresh strawberries add too much moisture, which makes the dough cakey and the flavor weak. Freeze-dried strawberries give you intense flavor without changing the texture.

Where can I find freeze-dried strawberries?
Most supermarkets carry them in the dried fruit or snack aisle, and you can also find them online.

Why did my cookies spread too much?
The butter was probably too soft, or the dough wasn’t chilled long enough. Chilling the dough is key for thick, soft cookies.

Can I skip the food coloring?
Yes. The cookies will have a soft, natural blush color from the strawberry powder, and the frosting will still be pink.

How do I make the frosting pinker?
Add a tiny drop of pink gel coloring. Avoid liquid coloring, which can thin the frosting.

Can I make them ahead?
Definitely. The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, and the baked cookies stay fresh for several days.

Conclusion

These frosted strawberry cookies are one of my favorite ways to enjoy strawberry flavor all year long. They’re soft, fruity, and pretty enough to share, and the freeze-dried strawberries make them taste far more like real fruit than any extract could. I hope they bring a little sunshine to your kitchen, too.

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Soft, chewy strawberry cookies made with real freeze-dried strawberries and topped with a creamy pink strawberry frosting. Sweet, fruity, and perfect for spring gatherings, bake sales, and baby or bridal showers.

• Author: Laura
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 11 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 11 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies
• Category: undefined
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (15 g) freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground into powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup (85 g) white chocolate chips (optional)
• For the frosting: 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
• For the frosting: 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
• For the frosting: 1/4 cup (8 g) freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground into powder
• For the frosting: 1 to 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream
• For the frosting: 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Sprinkles or crushed freeze-dried strawberries, for topping (optional)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground freeze-dried strawberries together in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
5. Add the dry ingredients and the milk, mixing on low speed until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips, if using.
6. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to prevent spreading.
7. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly soft.
9. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
10. For the frosting, beat the butter until creamy, then add the powdered sugar, ground strawberries, vanilla, and salt.
11. Add the milk a teaspoon at a time and beat for 2 minutes, until fluffy and spreadable.
12. Frost the cooled cookies and top with sprinkles or crushed freeze-dried strawberries.

Notes

• Freeze-dried strawberries give intense natural flavor and color without adding moisture; grind them in a blender or food processor until powdery.
• Do not use fresh strawberries in the dough, as the extra water makes the cookies cakey and flat.
• For a deeper pink color, add a tiny drop of pink or red gel food coloring to the frosting.
• Cool the cookies completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt.
• Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
• Unfrosted cookies freeze well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 frosted cookie
• Calories: 170
• Sugar: 16 g
• Sodium: 75 mg
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 23 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 1.5 g
• Cholesterol: 28 mg