This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.
These strawberry shortbread cookies are soft, buttery, and covered in a delicious strawberry glaze! They are easy to make, bursting with natural strawberry flavor, and only require 7 ingredients!
In my opinion, strawberries truly make the most delicious desserts. My strawberry cheesecake cookies are the most popular recipe on the blog, and I get requests to make strawberry banana muffins all the time!
But these strawberry shortbread cookies are something else. They taste like a little slice of heaven, and look so beautiful and elegant.
They are a perfect for bridal showers, weddings, mother's day, brunch or a fancy tea party!
Why These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies Work
- You can make them in any shape you'd like - you can do rectangular ones like I did, or you can use round cut outs or other fun cookie cutter shapes
- This recipe uses freeze-dried strawberries, which provide so much more strawberry flavor to the shortbread!
- These shortbread cookies have freeze dried strawberries baked into them, and are then dipped in a strawberry glaze, which gives the cookies double the strawberry flavor!
- This whole recipe uses only 7 ingredients, and they are egg and nut free!
- Since this recipe uses freeze dried strawberries, it doesn't have to made saved for the summer months - you can make these cookies year-round!
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: You can use regular butter or dairy free butter to make these cookies
- Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour, and I don't recommend substituting any other flours.
- Powdered sugar: If you follow a vegan diet, be sure to use a vegan icing sugar, as not all powdered sugar is vegan.
- Freeze-dried strawberries: This is what gives the cookies their strawberry flavor. This recipe will work fine with fresh strawberries, but the strawberry flavor will be very, very subtle. If don't have freeze dried strawberries, you can also add strawberry extract to the glaze for a stronger strawberry flavor.
- Milk: the strawberry glaze calls for a little bit of milk, and you can use either regular milk or dairy free milk.
Step By Step Instructions
Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
STEP ONE: Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer or handheld mixer and beat until smooth. Add in the vanilla, then mix in the flour and salt.
STEP TWO: Chop up half a cup of freeze dried strawberries and fold them into the dough. Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap on the counter and form it into a log shape (roughly 7 inches long and 1 ¼ inches thick). Wrap it in the plastic wrap then refrigerate for 1 hour (optional, see notes in recipe card below).
STEP THREE: When the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Slice the dough into pieces that are just under ½ inch thick. Bake for 8-11 minutes.
STEP FOUR: To make the glaze, crush 6 tablespoons of freeze dried strawberries into a powder (I use a small blender for this). Set aside.
STEP FIVE: Melt butter in the microwave or over the stove, then whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice. Mix in the freeze dried strawberries.
STEP SIX: Dip the cooled shortbread into the glaze, or drizzle the glaze over it, then place them on a plate or cooling rack while the glaze sets.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Chilling the dough helps the butter to firm up so that the cookies hold their rectangular shape (or circular, if making these as round cut-out cookies).
If you aren't too worried about the shape of the cookies or having perfectly straight edges, it's fine to chill the dough for less time or even skip the chill time altogether.
I don't recommend it. You just can't taste the strawberry flavor in these cookies as much using fresh or frozen strawberries, and they add liquid to the dough. If you only have fresh or frozen strawberries, you'll need to add about 1-2 tablespoon more flour to the shortbread dough (to compensate for the extra water from the strawberries).
Instructions to make the glaze using fresh strawberries is in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Sure! You can use freeze dried raspberries instead of strawberries. The dehydrated berries can be substituted at a 1-1 ratio.
Absolutely! Once the dough has been refrigerated (for at least one hour, ideally longer), roll it out onto a lightly floured surface and use your cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the dough.
Freeze-dried strawberries can be found in most grocery stores with the other dried fruits. You can also order them online.
Alternatively, you can make your own dried strawberries at home. Dried strawberries are slightly different than freeze-dried but they will work in a pinch!
There is plenty of strawberry flavor in these cookies with the freeze dried strawberries, but if you are using fresh strawberries and want to get more strawberry flavor, you can add strawberry extract to the glaze.
Expert Tips
- Properly measure your flour - If you over-measure your flour, the shortbread won't be as buttery and it will be crumbly and even a bit dry. I recommend weighing your flour with a kitchen scale or using the scoop and level method
- If you want to have perfectly shaped shortbread, refrigerate the dough for at least one hour. If you are planning to use cookie cutters or make round cookies, this step is necessary. If you aren't worried about the cookies being perfectly shaped, then you can skip the chilling step all together.
- Let the shortbread cool completely before glazing the cookies so that it doesn't melt!
- For an extra wow factor, decorate the shortbread with more freeze dried strawberries before the glaze has set completely!
Storage and Freezing Instructions
The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an air tight container for up to a week.
You can freeze the plastic wrapped dough in a large freezer bag for 2-3 months. The glaze takes less than 5 minutes to make, so I recommend just making it when you decide to bake the dough.
You can freeze the baked shortbread as well! You can freeze them either glazed or not glazed (just wait for the glaze to set before freezing) in an air tight container.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
- 1¾ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour SEE NOTES
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp icing sugar
- ¾ cup + 3 tbsp butter (regular or vegan), softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup freeze-dried strawberries SEE NOTES
- pinch of salt
Strawberry Glaze
- 6 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberries SEE NOTES
- ¾ teaspoon lemon juice
- 1½ tablespoon butter (regular or vegan), melted
- 2 tablespoon milk (regular or vegan) (add more as needed)
- ¾-1 cup icing sugar
Instructions
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
- Add butter and icing sugar to the bowl of a standing mixer or handheld mixer and beat until smooth. Mix in the vanilla, then add in the flour and pinch of salt.
- Roughly chop the freeze dried strawberries and stir them into the dough. Form the dough into a log shape and wrap in plastic wrap. The log will be roughly 7 inches long and 1 ¼ inches thick. Refrigerate for 1 hour (optional, see notes).
- Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Slice the log of dough into pieces that are just under ½ inch thick, then bake for 8-11 minutes, or until the edges are very slightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before adding the strawberry glaze.
Strawberry Glaze
- Use a blender or food processor to grind the freeze dried strawberries into a fine powder (it's okay if there are some larger pieces or seeds). You can also place the strawberries in a ziploc bag then roll over them with a rolling pin.
- Melt the butter in the microwave or over the stove then transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon juice. Add in the freeze dried strawberries. Add more powdered sugar if needed to thicken the glaze.
- Dip the cooled shortbread into the glaze or drizzle the glaze over the cookies. Add more freeze dried strawberries on top for decoration if desired. Place the cookies on a plate or cooling rack to let the glaze set.
Notes
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Arlene Vesper
Hi Gabby, just found your recipes. I would like to know if I can triple this recipe for a wedding shower. They look delicious. Will be including your recipe, as bride asks all invites for a special recipe card. Thought it would be a good gesture for her to actually test them first. Of course will give you the credit along with your website. BTW, I have joined too!
Gabby
Hi Arlene! That's such a lovely idea for the wedding shower! And welcome to the CDD community! You can definitely triple the recipe - I'd love to hear how it goes and congrats to the bride and groom 🙂
Linda
Sooo delicious!
Gabby
Hi Linda! I'm glad that you liked the cookies! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review! 🙂
Loren
Shortbread is my favorite!! Love the strawberry icing it makes them divine and Summery!
Gabby
Hi Loren! I'm so happy that you loved it! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Kari
This was a phenomenal recipe! I I followed it to a tee, except I cut mine into squares, stacked three on top of each other and layered cream cheese frosting between them with strawberries on top! SO GOOD. I can’t believe how easy it was to make such quality cookies. Thanks for making this feel simple and making me feel like I’m a good baker! You’re the best Gabby!
Gabby
Hi Kari! Wow - this review seriously made my day! It means so much to me that you loved the recipe and found it easy to follow too! Also, the stacked cookies with cream cheese frosting sounds absolutely amazing, I'll have to try that. Thank you again for the kind words and for taking the time to come back and let me know how you liked them 😀