If you love soft, buttery sugar cookies and anything strawberry, these Strawberry Sugar Cookies with Sparkling Strawberry Sugar will become a favorite. They’re tender in the center, lightly crisp at the edges, and packed with bright strawberry flavor—without adding extra moisture to the dough. The secret is freeze-dried strawberries: they give strong, natural strawberry taste and a beautiful pink color, then the cookies are rolled in sparkling strawberry sugar for a sweet, shimmery finish.
These cookies are perfect for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, spring parties, or whenever you want a cookie that looks as pretty as it tastes.
What You’ll Need
Key ingredient: Freeze-dried strawberries
Freeze-dried strawberries crush into a fine powder that blends easily into cookie dough and sugar. You’ll use them in two places:
- In the dough (for flavor and color)
- In the sparkling sugar (for a fruity, glittery coating)
Ingredients
A) Sparkling Strawberry Sugar (for rolling)
- 1/2 cup sanding sugar (or coarse sugar)
- 2–3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder (finely crushed)
Tip: If you don’t have sanding sugar, you can use regular granulated sugar, but the sparkle will be less.
B) Strawberry Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor pop)
- 2 3/4 cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (for extra softness)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (classic sugar-cookie softness)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberry powder (finely crushed)
- Red or pink gel food coloring (optional, for a stronger pink)
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer (hand or stand)
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (recommended)
- Cookie scoop (optional but helpful)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the sparkling strawberry sugar
- Crush freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder (a blender/processor works best, but a sealed bag + rolling pin is fine).
- In a small bowl, mix sanding sugar with strawberry powder until evenly pink and fragrant.
- Set aside.
Step 2: Prep your oven and pans
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
- flour
- cornstarch
- baking powder
- baking soda
- cream of tartar
- salt
- freeze-dried strawberry powder
Set aside.
Step 4: Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Mix until smooth.
- If you want a brighter color, add a tiny amount of gel food coloring and mix again.
Step 5: Combine wet and dry
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
- Mix on low speed just until combined—don’t overmix.
Step 6: Chill the dough (important)
- Cover and chill the dough for 30–60 minutes.
This helps prevent spreading and keeps the cookies thicker and softer.
Step 7: Shape and roll
- Scoop dough into balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each).
- Roll each ball generously in the sparkling strawberry sugar.
- Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
Step 8: Bake
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops no longer look wet.
- The centers should still look slightly soft—this is how you keep them tender.
Step 9: Cool properly
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–7 minutes (they finish setting here).
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Texture & Flavor Notes
- Soft and thick with a melt-in-your-mouth bite (thanks to cornstarch + cream of tartar).
- Strawberry-forward without being artificial.
- Sparkly, sweet coating that adds crunch and extra strawberry aroma.
Storage Tips
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week (bring to room temp before serving for best texture).
- Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Easy Variations
- Strawberry-lemon: Add 1–2 teaspoons lemon zest to the dough.
- Strawberry cream: Sandwich two cookies with vanilla or strawberry buttercream.
- Extra sparkle: Roll twice—once before baking, and lightly again right after baking (only if cookies are still warm and slightly tacky).