Strawberry Sugar Cookies

These strawberry sugar cookies are *pink*, and they are chewy and bendy and unmistakably strawberry thanks to the freeze dried strawberries. Don't be surprised if you start belting out Strawberry Fields Forever when you take your first bite of one of these, still warm from the oven.

These Crisp & Chewy Strawberry Sugar Cookies are so unique. I have never had a cookie like them and I must say I'm quite proud of myself for creating this recipe. I had quite a few flops (still delicious) before landing on this recipe. When a cookie recipe says it's chewy, for me, it often isn't. I wanted to deliver on my chewy, bendy promise and boy did I. These are really chewy, almost like candy in buttery cookie form.

how do we get the strawberry into these crisp & chewy strawberry sugar cookies?

I became a bit obsessed with using freeze-dried fruit in my bakes a couple years ago, and these cookies were one of my many creations. You would never put fresh strawberries into a chewy sugar cookie. ( You would, however add them to these: Strawberry Shortcake Cookies ) But for sugar cookies, fresh strawberries are too wet, and wet ingredients just don't work in thin, crisp, and/or chewy cookies. But all natural, freeze-dried fruit allows us to do the impossible! I buy Auguson Farms on Amazon, but most grocery stores carry freeze-dried fruits these days. Just give a quick google to see where you can find them so you can make these freeze dried strawberry cookies!

the secret ingredient

Another semi-specialty ingredient that sets these strawberry sugar cookies apart and contributes to their incredibly unique, chewy, bendy qualities is liquid glucose. Again, I get mine on amazon - Caullet brand - and it will literally last forever. I do know Michael's sells Wilton brand glucose syrup as well. Again, just do a quick google search to see if you can find it at any grocery or craft stores in your area.

why use liquid glucose?

Liquid Glucose is an invert sugar, which makes it handy in making candies and ice creams because it discourages and prevents the formation of sugar crystals. In baked goods, it attributes that chewy or sometimes fudgy texture we love. I do know it is used in cake baking too, but that is not my area of expertise. I learned the liquid glucose trick for cookie baking from Christina Tosi, the mad genius behind Milk Bar. It really is a special ingredient but if you are totally opposed, you can replace the 2 tablespoons liquid glucose with 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup.

a few tips

• This cookie starts out like most cookies: creaming room temperature butter with sugar. In this case we add a bit of glucose to that mixture. I highly recommend that you add your butter, then your sugars, and then scoop your glucose on top of the sugar. If you add the glucose first it will stick to the bowl and will be almost impossible to scrape off. Just a little tip I learned the hard way.
• Also, when scooping it, I use my two tablespoon cookie scoop because it just makes it so much easier. Then I wash it off and use it for scooping the cookies later.
• Really let this mixture cream. Let it rip for like 5 to 10 minutes. You want it fluffy and light.
• I know this is a bit unconventional: I add my leavening agents and salt with the egg and vanilla and let it all combine before adding the flour. I have found that everything gets mixed in so much better that way. Again, let this really whip together and get fluffy. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything is really combined.
• Once you add the flour, mix on low until you see almost all of the flour has been absorbed. Then add your crushed strawberries. Just barely mix them in so you have some swirls and marbling in the dough. It just makes for a prettier finished cookie.
• To crush strawberries: put them in a bowl and crush with your hands until you have a powdery mixture with a few chunks remaining.
• Measure strawberries after they are crushed.

I hope you'll give this recipe a try! Let me know if you do! Come say "hey" on Instagram and tag me so I can see! I'm @wild.thistle.kitchen

xo - Anita

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Crisp and Chewy Strawberry Sugar Cookies

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5 from 2 reviews

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Chewy, bendy, just a little crisp on the edges and packed with all natural strawberry flavor. These cookies are so much fun, so unique, and SO DELICIOUS!

• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: about 30 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons liquid glucose or 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 ¼ cups flour
• 1 cup crushed freeze dried strawberries

For rolling dough balls:

• 1 cup granulated sugar

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter with sugars and liquid glucose until very light and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes on medium speed.
4. Next, scrape down sides and bottom of bowl thoroughly with a rubber spatula, then add egg, vanilla, salt, baking powder and baking soda and beat again for about a minute.
5. Next, add flour and mix until almost completely combined.
6. Add crushed freeze-dried strawberries and mix until combined. It's nice to not over-mix here because you will have a marbled effect in the finished cookies.
7. Using a two tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough then roll into white sugar and place onto cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.
8. Using a flat bottomed drinking glass or measuring cup, flatten cookies just slightly until they are about ¾ inch think.
9. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
10. Allow to cool on baking sheets. (but make sure to eat a few while they're still warm!!)

Notes

• I highly recommend that you add your butter, then your sugars, and then scoop your glucose or corn syrup on top of the sugar. If you add the glucose first it will stick to the bowl and will be almost impossible to scrape off. Just a little tip I learned the hard way.
• Also, when scooping it, I use my two tablespoon cookie scoop because it just makes it so much easier. Then I wash it off and use it for scooping the cookies later.
• Really let this mixture cream. Let it rip for like 5 to 10 minutes. You want it fluffy and light.
• I know this is a bit unconventional: I add my leavening agents and salt with the egg and vanilla and let it all combine before adding the flour. I have found that everything gets mixed in so much better that way. Again, let this really whip together and get fluffy. Scrape down the sides to make sure everything is really combined.
• Once you add the flour, mix on low until you see almost all of the flour has been absorbed. Then add your crushed strawberries. Just barely mix them in so you have some swirls and marbling in the dough. It just makes for a prettier finished cookie.
• To crush strawberries: put them in a bowl and crush with your hands until you have a powdery mixture with a few chunks remaining.
• Measure strawberries after they are crushed.

• Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: dessert
• Method: baking