These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies have fantastic strawberry flavor thanks to freeze-dried strawberries in both the cookies and the strawberry glaze! With these cookies you can have a taste of summer year-round! Recipe can be used to make slice-and-bake shortbread or cut-outs--it's up to you!
In a medium bowl, combine the flour and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the freeze-dried strawberries (see note) as finely as possible. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the powdered strawberries with the sugar until incorporated.
Add the butter to the strawberry sugar. Beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add vanilla extract (if desired) and mix to incorporate.
Gradually add the flour/salt mixture and mix just until you can't see flour anymore. Mixture won't come completely together into a ball and will be a bit crumbly, which is what you want.
Use a bowl scraper (see note) to press the dough together into a ball inside the bowl, or turn the dough out onto your counter and press together with your hands. (I like to use the bowl scraper to keep my hands/counter cleaner.)
For slice-and-bake shortbread: Roll the dough into a 12-inch long log that's as round as you can manage. Roll the log in sparkling sugar, if desired. For cut-out cookies: Form the dough into a disc and wrap well.
Wrap the dough and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour (up to two days).
Once chilled, preheat your oven to 325° F. Line baking sheets with parchment (see note) and set aside.
For slice-and-bake shortbread: (If you'd like to make cut-outs, proceed to the next step.) Slice the dough into ¼-inch rounds. I find that a thin, serrated knife (like a bread knife) works best. For cut-out cookies: Roll the dough out to about ¼-inch thickness and cut desired shapes.
Place the cookies at least an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and freeze for 15 minutes before baking.
Bake 12-14 minutes, or until the cookies are just barely golden on the bottom. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
For Strawberry Glaze
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the freeze-dried strawberries (see note) as finely as possible.
In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar with the strawberry powder and stir to combine.
Add the milk and vanilla bean paste (if desired; see note) and stir until smooth. If the glaze is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. If too thick, add a little milk until the glaze is the desired consistency. If you want to ensure that your glaze is perfectly smooth (as some of the bits of strawberry will remain), strain the glaze through a fine-mesh strainer.
Frost or drizzle the glaze over top of the cookies, allowing the glaze to set before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Note on freeze-dried strawberries: You'll need one bag (typically 1.2 oz) of freeze-dried strawberries for this recipe. Make sure that you're using *freeze-dried* berries, as they're free of moisture and will process into a powder. Regular "dried" strawberries will not!
Note on bowl scraper: I like to use a bowl scraper to press the dough together in the bowl because it's flexible shape makes the job much easier, and it keeps my hands and countertop a bit cleaner. They're easy to store and easy on the wallet if you'd like to get yourself one!Note on lining pans: I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.Note on fine mesh strainer: The step isn't strictly necessary, but if you'd like your glaze to be smooth, you should strain it first.Note on using freeze-dried strawberries as garnish: While beautiful (and yummy), I used freeze-dried strawberries as garnish just because they were pretty and the photos would indicate that they were used. The strawberries will not store well. Because of the moisture in the glaze (and potentially the humidity in your house), the strawberries on top will start to soften almost immediately. You could consider sprinkles or edible flower petals as alternatives if you're concerned about the strawberries being chewy instead of crunchy.