Strawberry Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate Drizzle Recipe
Delight in these charming Strawberry Shortbread Cookies, featuring a buttery, tender base infused with crushed freeze-dried strawberries and a touch of vanilla. After baking to a perfectly golden edge, these cookies are elegantly drizzled with creamy white chocolate blended with strawberry powder and topped with a sprinkle of crushed freeze-dried strawberries for a colorful and flavorful finish. Ideal for tea time or festive occasions.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup freeze dried strawberries, crushed
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup confectioners sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toppings
- ½ cup white chocolate (bars or wafers recommended)
- 1 tablespoon freeze dried strawberries, pulverized to a fine powder
Instructions
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside to use later.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour and fine sea salt to evenly distribute.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened unsalted butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Incorporate Flour: Lower the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the flour mixture until just combined, ensuring not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
- Add Strawberries: Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently stir in the crushed freeze dried strawberries to distribute them evenly through the dough.
- Chill Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, press it into a disc shape, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up.
- Roll Out Dough: Lightly dust your work surface with flour and roll the chilled cookie dough to about ¼ inch thickness for even baking.
- Cut Cookies: Use a 3-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll scraps as needed to use all the dough.
- Chill Again: Place the cut cookies back in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to ensure they hold their shape while baking.
- Preheat Oven: While cookies chill, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to have it ready for baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the chilled cookies for 20-22 minutes or until the edges turn a light golden brown, rotating the baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt White Chocolate: Melt the white chocolate in the microwave using 15-second increments, stirring after each, until fully smooth and melted.
- Add Strawberry Powder: Stir the pulverized freeze dried strawberry powder into the melted white chocolate, blending well for a pink-tinted strawberry flavor.
- Drizzle Chocolate: Pour the strawberry white chocolate mixture into a piping bag or zip-top bag and drizzle decoratively over the cooled cookies.
- Garnish: Sprinkle additional crushed freeze dried strawberries over the chocolate drizzle for an extra pop of flavor and color. Let the chocolate set for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Chilling the dough twice is essential for maintaining the cookie shape and texture.
- Use freeze dried strawberries for intense flavor without adding moisture that could affect cookie texture.
- For an even coating, ensure the white chocolate is melted smoothly and drizzle while slightly warm.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
- These cookies are perfect with tea, coffee, or as a delightful dessert gift.