Easy Strawberry Sugar Cookies Recipe (No Frosting Needed!)

Posted on September 24, 2023 by Kate

Introduction

Oh, the sweet scent of freshly baked cookies! Does anything bring back those warm, fuzzy childhood memories quite like a perfectly baked sugar cookie? I remember my Grandma’s kitchen, filled with the aroma of her famous sugar cookies, and how much joy they brought to everyone. Today, I’m so excited to share a recipe that’s not only incredibly delicious but also ridiculously easy – Strawberry Sugar Cookies! These little gems are bursting with a subtle, natural strawberry flavor that will transport you straight to a summer’s day. And the best part? They’re so simple, you can whip them up for a spontaneous treat or a last-minute gift.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Fast: From mixing bowl to cooling rack in under an hour (plus chill time!).
Easy: No fancy techniques or equipment needed, perfect for beginner bakers.
Giftable: Package them up for a thoughtful, homemade present that everyone will adore.
Crowd-pleasing: Their delicate sweetness and beautiful hue make them a hit with kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

Gathering your ingredients is the first step to cookie magic! Here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature: Softened butter is key for a creamy, well-combined dough.
1 ¼ cups (250 g) granulated sugar: This gives our cookies their signature sweetness and a lovely crisp edge.
2 large eggs, room temperature: Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily into the batter.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract: A classic for a reason, it enhances all the other flavors.
2 ¾ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour: The backbone of our cookie dough.
1.5 ounces (42 g) freeze-dried strawberries: This is our secret weapon for that amazing natural strawberry flavor and color! You’ll want to crush these into a fine powder.
1 teaspoon baking powder: Just a little lift to keep our cookies from being too dense.
½ teaspoon salt: Balances the sweetness and makes all the flavors pop.
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, for rolling: This creates a beautiful sparkly coating on the outside.

How to Make It

Alright, let’s get our hands a little floury and make some deliciousness happen! Follow these simple steps:

Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar. Keep going until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This usually takes a few minutes with an electric mixer.
Add the wet ingredients: Beat in your eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
Whisk the dry ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, give your flour, crushed freeze-dried strawberries, baking powder, and salt a good whisk. Make sure those strawberry bits are nice and powdery!
Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or by hand until everything is just combined. Don’t overmix at this stage – that can make cookies tough!
Chill the dough: This is an important step for easier handling. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The dough will firm up, making it much easier to roll.
Preheat your oven: While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Make sure your oven racks are in the middle position.
Roll into balls: Once the dough is chilled, scoop out portions and roll them into 1-inch balls between your palms.
Coat with sugar: Pour the ¼ cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll each cookie ball in the sugar until it’s nicely coated. This gives them a lovely sparkly finish.
Bake to perfection: Place your sugar-coated balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. I like to use parchment paper for easy cleanup, but ungreased works too!
Bake: Pop the baking sheets into your preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. You’re looking for the edges to be just lightly golden. They’ll continue to set up as they cool.
Cool down: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy that amazing strawberry aroma filling your kitchen!

Substitutions & Additions

We love a good cookie, but we also love making it our own! Here are a few ideas:

No freeze-dried strawberries? You can omit them, but you’ll lose that delightful strawberry flavor and color. If you absolutely must, you could try 1-2 tablespoons of strawberry jam or a tiny bit of strawberry extract, but it won’t be quite the same.
Add some zest: A little bit of lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon) mixed in with the dry ingredients can add a lovely bright note that pairs beautifully with strawberries.
Decorate (optional!): While these cookies are stunning on their own, you could always add a simple glaze or even some edible glitter after they’ve cooled completely for extra sparkle!
Different berries: Experiment with other freeze-dried berries like raspberries or blueberries for different flavor profiles!

Tips for Success

A few little tricks can make all the difference between a good cookie and a GREAT cookie!

Don’t overmix the dough: Once you add the flour, mix only until it’s just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten too much, resulting in tough cookies.
Chill time is your friend: Resist the urge to skip the chilling step. Cold dough is easier to handle and bakes up with a better texture.
Watch your oven: Ovens can be a bit finicky! Keep an eye on your cookies during the last few minutes of baking to prevent them from browning too much.
Prep Ahead: You can make the dough and keep it chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just let it soften slightly at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before scooping and rolling.

How to Store It

Once your delicious Strawberry Sugar Cookies are completely cool, you’ll want to store them properly to keep them fresh and tasty.

Store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
They’ll stay wonderfully fresh for up to 5-7 days.
I find they’re best enjoyed within the first few days for that perfect crispness!

FAQs

Got questions? We’ve got answers!

Can I use fresh strawberries in this recipe?: Unfortunately, fresh strawberries contain too much moisture and won’t work in this specific cookie recipe. Freeze-dried strawberries are crucial for that concentrated flavor and powdery texture without adding excess liquid.
Why are my cookies spreading too much?: This can happen if your butter was too soft when you started, if you overmixed the dough, or if the dough wasn’t chilled long enough. Make sure your butter is just softened (not melted!) and give that dough at least an hour in the fridge.
How finely should I crush the freeze-dried strawberries?: You want to crush them into a powder as fine as you can get it, almost like a colored sugar. A food processor or a mortar and pestle works best for this. The finer the powder, the more evenly the flavor and color will distribute.

Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Print Recipe

Easy, delicious sugar cookies with a natural strawberry flavor and color, perfect for a quick treat or homemade gift.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Scale

Main ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature, softened)
1.25 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2.75 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 ounces freeze-dried strawberries (crushed into a fine powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
0.5 teaspoon salt

For rolling

0.25 cup granulated sugar

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Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and 1 ¼ cups of granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
Add the wet ingredients: Beat in your eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
Whisk the dry ingredients: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, crushed freeze-dried strawberries, baking powder, and salt.
Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients. Mix on low speed or by hand until everything is just combined. Do not overmix.
Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Preheat your oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Ensure oven racks are in the middle position.
Roll into balls: Once the dough is chilled, scoop out portions and roll them into 1-inch balls between your palms.
Coat with sugar: Pour the ¼ cup of granulated sugar into a small bowl. Roll each cookie ball in the sugar until nicely coated.
Bake to perfection: Place sugar-coated balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets (parchment paper is recommended).
Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden. Cookies will set up as they cool.
Cool down: Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes. Carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5-7 days. Best enjoyed within the first few days for optimal crispness.