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Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Soft strawberry sugar cookies made with a concentrated fresh strawberry reduction, a crisp sugar coating, and lightly golden edges.

MakesAbout 15 to 16 cookies
Time1 h 25 min
i

Total estimated time. This includes preparation, chilling where needed, baking, and cooling. Some of it is hands-off time.

DifficultyEasy
Stack of pink strawberry sugar cookies with crackled sugar-coated tops

There is a little patience built into these cookies, but it is the good kind. The strawberries need time on the stove, and the kitchen starts to smell like warm fruit long before the dough is ready.

I keep the rest of the recipe simple after that. The cooled reduction goes into a soft, creamy butter mixture, then the flour and baking powder bring it together into a dough that is easy to portion once it has the right feel.

The sugar coating is what gives the finished cookies their quiet crackle. I take them out when the centers still look soft, then let the tray do the last bit of work before they move to the rack.

Ingredients for Strawberry Sugar Cookies

The strawberry reduction is the part to take seriously here. I get it cooked down and completely cool before mixing the dough, so it adds strawberry flavor without turning the dough too loose.

Measured strawberries, sugar, vegan butter, flour, baking powder, and vanilla for strawberry sugar cookies
Everything measured before the strawberries are blended.
  • 280 g fresh strawberries
  • 140 g granulated sugar
  • 117 g vegan buttersoftened to room temperature
  • 5 g vanilla extract
  • 205 g all-purpose flour
  • 4 g baking powder
  • 40 g granulated sugarfor coating

How to Make Strawberry Sugar Cookies

The PDF makes 15 to 16 cookies. Use portions of about 25 to 30 g and leave 5 cm between them.

Blend the strawberries

Wash and hull the strawberries, then blend them until completely smooth.

Smooth blended strawberry purée in a glass bowl
Blend the strawberries until the purée is completely smooth.

Cook and cool the strawberry reduction

Pour the purée into a small saucepan and cook it over medium heat, stirring frequently, until most of the moisture has evaporated and it is thick and concentrated. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool completely.

Thick strawberry reduction in a small saucepan
Cook the purée down until it is thick and concentrated, then cool it completely.

Prepare the oven and cream the butter

Heat the oven to 180°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the softened vegan butter and 140 g granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy.

Vegan butter and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl
Start with softened vegan butter and sugar before beating them together.
Light and creamy beaten vegan butter and sugar mixture
The butter and sugar should be light and creamy before the strawberry reduction goes in.

Add the strawberry reduction

Mix about 60 g of the cooled strawberry reduction and the vanilla extract into the butter mixture until fully combined.

Cooled strawberry reduction and vanilla added to creamed butter and sugar
Mix the cooled reduction and vanilla through the creamed mixture.

Mix the dough

Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Mix only until no dry streaks remain. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but still easy to handle. If it feels too soft, cover the bowl and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

Finished soft pink strawberry cookie dough in a glass bowl
The dough should be soft and slightly sticky, but still easy to handle.

Shape and coat the cookies

Scoop portions of dough weighing about 25 to 30 g and roll them into balls. Coat each ball evenly in the remaining 40 g granulated sugar.

Strawberry cookie dough balls being rolled in granulated sugar beside a lined baking sheet
Roll each portion into a ball, then coat it evenly in sugar.

Arrange the tray

Arrange the sugar-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 5 cm between them. For flatter, softer cookies, gently press each ball down slightly before baking.

Sugar-coated strawberry cookie dough balls spaced on a parchment-lined baking sheet
Leave 5 cm between the cookies so they can spread.

Bake and cool

Bake one tray at a time for about 13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Baked strawberry sugar cookies with crackled tops on a parchment-lined baking sheet
The edges are set and lightly golden while the centers remain soft.
Stack of baked strawberry sugar cookies on parchment paper
Let the cookies cool completely after their 10-minute rest on the baking sheet.

Tips that make a difference

  • Cook the strawberry purée until it is thick and concentrated. Excess moisture makes the dough too soft.
  • Let the reduction cool completely before adding it to the creamed butter, sugar, and vanilla.
  • If the finished dough feels too soft to shape, cover it and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.
  • Keep 5 cm between the dough balls so the cookies have room to spread.

These are the kind of cookies that look simple on the tray, then become much more interesting once the strawberry reduction has done its work. I like the light sugar crust against the soft center, especially when the cookies have just cooled enough to hold their shape.

Save this recipe

Strawberry Sugar Cookies

Soft strawberry sugar cookies made with a concentrated fresh strawberry reduction, a crisp sugar coating, and lightly golden edges.

Prep20 min
Bake45 min
Cool20 min
Total1 h 25 min
DifficultyEasy
Makes about16

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. 1
    Blend the strawberries

    Wash and hull the strawberries, then blend them until completely smooth.

  2. 2
    Cook and cool the strawberry reduction

    Pour the purée into a small saucepan and cook it over medium heat, stirring frequently, until most of the moisture has evaporated and it is thick and concentrated. This takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer it to a bowl and let it cool completely.

  3. 3
    Prepare the oven and cream the butter

    Heat the oven to 180°C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat the softened vegan butter and 140 g granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and creamy.

  4. 4
    Add the strawberry reduction

    Mix about 60 g of the cooled strawberry reduction and the vanilla extract into the butter mixture until fully combined.

  5. 5
    Mix the dough

    Add the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Mix only until no dry streaks remain. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but still easy to handle. If it feels too soft, cover the bowl and refrigerate it for about 30 minutes.

  6. 6
    Shape and coat the cookies

    Scoop portions of dough weighing about 25 to 30 g and roll them into balls. Coat each ball evenly in the remaining 40 g granulated sugar.

  7. 7
    Arrange the tray

    Arrange the sugar-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 5 cm between them. For flatter, softer cookies, gently press each ball down slightly before baking.

  8. 8
    Bake and cool

    Bake one tray at a time for about 13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Questions you might have

How many strawberry sugar cookies does this recipe make?

The recipe makes 15 to 16 cookies when the dough is portioned at about 25 to 30 g each.

Why do I need to reduce the strawberries first?

The purée is cooked down to remove most of its moisture. This keeps the dough from becoming too soft and gives the strawberry flavor a more concentrated result.

How long should the strawberry reduction cook?

Cook the blended strawberries over medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and concentrated.

Do I need to chill the strawberry cookie dough?

Only chill it if it feels too soft to handle. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes.

What temperature do I bake strawberry sugar cookies at?

Bake the cookies at 180°C.

How do I know when the cookies are done?

After about 13 minutes, the edges should be set and lightly golden while the centers still look slightly soft.

Why do the cookies cool on the baking sheet first?

The cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before moving to a rack, which lets them settle and hold together.