I joined some of my fellow bloggers to donate and create a recipe for Cookies for Kids' Cancer campaign. I wanted to make a french macaron recipe, but then settled on some good ol' strawberry sugar cookies. I cut out tiny hearts in the cookies and filled them with milk chocolate. I thought it was cute and was a fun little twist on a chocolate covered strawberry.
I'm constantly buying freeze dried fruit because they make a killer snack but also can be used in desserts which is neat. I turned the freeze dried strawberries into a powder and popped it into the dough. It gave it a slight pinkish tint and pretty little pink specks through the dough. The dough smells just as good as it tastes too.
I have some news, folks. Today is my wedding anniversary. I've been married for 7 years today. Where in the world has the time gone? I swear having children speeds up time. I only have one kid and things are flying by. I can't imagine having two children. I would be so busy that I would never know what day it is. Not that I'm great at keeping track now. Yesterday I thought it was Friday. Friday! Have you ever woke up thinking that it was the last work day of the week, the last day you have to get your kid around for school, and then reality hits you that it's only Thursday. Not cool, brain.
If you've been here a while, you might remember the year that I posted the most amazing red velvet cake with white chocolate frosting for my anniversary.Wesley goes crazy for red velvet. That and any sort of cookie are his favorites. He's already worked his way through half of these cookies and I just finished this yesterday morning.
Strawberry Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups salted butter room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 3 T. powdered freeze dried strawberries .8 oz package
- 1 large egg
- 1 T. vanilla extract
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup milk chocolate candy melts
Instructions
- In the stand mixer, mix the butter until it's creamed.
- Add in the sugar and powdered freeze dried strawberries. I added an .8 oz package of freeze dried strawberries into a food chopper and let it go until everything was a powdered. Mix on medium just until the butter and sugar come together. (The more the sugar and butter is creamed the fluffier the cookie will be.) Scrape down the sides.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Turn the mixer on medium and mix until the egg is completely incorporated.
- Lastly, add all the flour. You can either put a towel over your mixer until everything is incorporated or start out on the stirring setting of the mixer until the flour started to incorporated. Once the flour is mixed in some, go ahead and turn the mixer on medium and let it mix until the flour is combined with the creamed mixture.
- Roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper. Place in the fridge for 2 hours or until the dough is firm. I left mine in overnight. You can also cut the cookies out and place them into the freezer for 1 hour before baking. Whichever method you prefer, will work. Just remember to separate the cookies with parchment paper so they don't stick together.
- Take the top piece of parchment paper off and cut the cookies with preferred cutters. I used a 3 inch heart cutter and used a small veggie cutter the shape of a heart for the tiny hearts.
- Place 6 cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Don't let the dough get warm otherwise your cookies may spread.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Bake the cookies for 9 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let them cool.
- Melt the milk chocolate candy melts in a glass microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals and stir after each time until smooth.
- Add the chocolate in a sandwich bag or piping bag. Pipe in the little hearts with chocolate while the candy is still sitting on the parchment paper. You can also sit them on wax paper to fill with chocolate. Add a heart sprinkle and let the chocolate dry completely.
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
If you like these strawberry sugar cookies, you should check out my stained glass sugar cookies. They are so pretty!
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Gwynn says
Hi Miranda! Freeze dried fruit in the cookie! Brilliant idea! I'm so happy to be participating in the Cookies For Kids Bloggers' Valentine's Event with you! Have a delicious day! Gwynn at Swirls of Flavor
laura@motherwouldknow says
These cookies are just amazingly adorable! I love the idea of giving them a pink tone without resorting to artificial dyes. Simple and beautiful.
bridget {bake at 350} says
these are so pretty!
maria says
i have to agree with you Miranda. I love freeze dried fruits and never fail to pick them up every time I visit Trader Joes. Those tiny heart cut outs look so adorable.
Julie Blanner says
I love the little hearts peaking through the rest of the dough! So cute and they look delicious! What a great way to use freeze dried strawberries.
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
Happy anniversary!! These cookies look adorable and so yummy! I'm looking forward to trying them.
Kathleen @ Fearlessly Creative Mammas says
These cookies sound delightful! Happy anniversary to you. It doesn't really slow down as you get older either. Plus, I usually have no idea what day of the week it is.
Denise says
Such a pretty Valentine Day cookie - so sweet and innocent! And happy anniversary too - this is really fantastic!
Jenna says
These cookies are gorgeous! And yes you are right! Having kids does speed up time. I swear I blinked and my daughter turned 2.
Teri says
These are so pretty and they look yummy. My favor part is the little heart cut out. ❤️❤️❤️
Erin says
One of my favorite treat in cookie form, yes please! So cute too for Valentine's Day.
Serena says
Love adding the freeze dried fruits to cookies. So much better than an extract. Excited to be part of the group working for such a great cause. Happy Valentine's Day!
Sue@itsokaytoeatthecupcake says
These cookies are beautiful! I love the idea of using powdered freeze-dried fruit - so clever!
Megan says
Strawberry sugar cookies?? That sounds delicious! I love the cute little chocolate hearts. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
Claire says
I made this recipe. Kids loved it!