Classic Strawberry Shortbread Cookie Recipe

These melt-in-your-mouth Strawberry Shortbread Cookies are buttery, tender, and packed with bright strawberry flavor. A simple powdered sugar glaze and a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberry bits finish the cookies for a beautiful, crowd-pleasing treat—perfect for spring gatherings, afternoon tea, or gifting.

I developed this recipe as a variation of classic shortbread, adapting techniques from lemon and chocolate-chip shortbreads to highlight strawberries. The secret to the concentrated strawberry flavor is freeze-dried strawberries processed into a powder, which blends into the dough without adding extra moisture.

Ingredients

The following ingredients make a tender, buttery strawberry shortbread. Quantities and full instructions are included in the printable recipe section at the end.

• Freeze-dried strawberries. These are processed into a powder and folded into the dough for intense strawberry flavor without extra moisture. You’ll also reserve extra bits for topping.
• Powdered sugar. Used in the dough to create a silky texture and again in the glaze for a smooth finish.
• Whole milk. Mixed with powdered sugar to make a simple glaze. Lemon juice can be used instead for a brighter glaze.

Substitutions

Here are a few straightforward 1:1 substitutions you can use if needed:

• Powdered sugar in the dough. You can replace 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1/2 cup granulated sugar, or use 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup light brown sugar for a slightly different texture and flavor.
• Milk in the glaze. Swap the whole milk for fresh lemon juice to reduce sweetness and introduce a bright contrast to the strawberry flavor. You can also add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the dough if you like a hint of citrus.

Please note the recipe has not been tested with other flour or sugar substitutions, so results may vary if you substitute further.

How to Make the Recipe

Below is a concise overview of the method. For a printable recipe card with measurements, see the recipe section at the end.

Quick Tip: You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for the creaming step.

1. Process the freeze-dried strawberries. Pulse them in a food processor until mostly a fine powder; a few tiny bits are fine. Set aside.
2. Whisk dry ingredients. Combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar. Beat the unsalted butter and powdered sugar on low, then increase speed until thick and creamy. Add vanilla and the strawberry powder and mix until uniform.
4. Combine and chill. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. Shape the dough into a disc, roll between sheets of wax paper to 1/4-inch thickness, place on a baking sheet, and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes or until firm.
5. Cut and bake. Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Cut cookies with your desired cutter, arrange on lined baking sheets about 1½ inches apart, and bake 15–18 minutes (watch carefully; many batches are done closer to 15 minutes). Cool briefly on the sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
6. Glaze and finish. Whisk powdered sugar with whole milk (or lemon juice) to make a smooth glaze. Dip or drizzle the cookie tops, then immediately sprinkle with the reserve freeze-dried strawberry bits so they adhere. Let the glaze set completely before storing.

Variations

If you’d rather not roll and chill dough, you can form cookies by scooping and gently flattening each dough ball before baking. This no-roll method produces slightly different shapes but the same delicious flavor. You can also experiment with different cookie cutters or shapes: rounds, squares, or festive cutters all work well.

Recipe FAQs

More Cookie Recipes to Enjoy

Looking for other cookie ideas? Try classic chocolate chip, lemon shortbread, or chocolate shortbread for more variety.

If you make these Strawberry Shortbread Cookies, please leave a rating and share your notes in the comments. Your feedback helps improve the recipe for everyone—happy baking!

Recipe author: Jennifer