Soft Strawberry Sugar Cookies (Printable)

Tender sugar cookies with real strawberries and a luscious pink glaze, ideal for spring or anytime indulgence.

# What You Need:

→ Strawberry Sugar Cookies

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
03 - ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - ½ cup neutral oil
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - ⅓ cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely crushed
09 - 1 large egg
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11 - 2 tablespoons milk

→ Pink Strawberry Icing

12 - 1½ cups powdered sugar
13 - 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
15 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
16 - ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
17 - Pink food coloring, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter, oil, and sugar together until light and creamy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add crushed freeze-dried strawberries, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
05 - Gradually add flour mixture, alternating with milk, and mix until a soft dough forms.
06 - Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Gently press each ball to flatten slightly.
07 - Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until edges are just set but centers remain soft. Do not overbake.
08 - Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, strawberry powder, melted butter, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons milk in a bowl until smooth. Adjust milk for desired consistency or add pink food coloring for deeper hue.
10 - Once cookies are completely cool, spoon or drizzle icing over each cookie. Allow to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're impossibly tender with that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes people think you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • The freeze-dried strawberries give real fruit flavor without making the dough wet or dense, which I learned matters way more than you'd think.
  • That pink icing is forgiving enough that even if your cookie shape isn't perfect, the glaze makes everything look intentional and pretty.
02 -
  • Do not overbake these, even if you're tempted; pulling them out when the edges look barely set is what keeps them soft and not dry.
  • Freeze-dried strawberries are crucial here because regular strawberries have too much moisture and will make the dough wet and cakey.
03 -
  • If your icing is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time instead of dumping it all in at once.
  • Don't skip the 5-minute rest on the baking sheet; it's what prevents them from falling apart when you move them to the cooling rack.
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