These high altitude strawberry sugar cookies are incredibly soft, moist and chewy, with a pretty pink crackled surface that’s dipped in strawberry icing. Made with both fresh strawberries and freeze dried strawberries, they have so much strawberry flavor!
You might also love this fresh strawberry vanilla bean galette, strawberry shortcake layer cake, and strawberry blondies.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Made with Real Strawberries. I used both fresh strawberries and freeze dried strawberries to get as much real strawberry flavor into these sugar cookies as I could.
Easy Recipe. The cookie dough comes together quickly, and you only need a hand mixer to beat the ingredients.
Soft for Days. These cookies are so soft and moist, that when I found a forgotten cookie that had been left sitting uncovered on a plate overnight, it still hadn’t dried out.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Cookies
- Strawberries. You’ll need both fresh strawberries, as well as freeze dried strawberries.
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness, and helps the cookies to spread.
- Butter. Adds richness, flavor and moisture.
- Egg Yolks. Rather than using a whole egg, two egg yolks keep these cookies chewy and soft.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Corn Starch. Tenderizes the cookies for a softer, chewier texture.
- Flour. All purpose flour adds structure and strength.
- Baking Soda. Leavening agent.
Icing
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the icing.
- Meringue Powder. Helps the icing set and stay set, rather than getting soft and sticky.
- Freeze Dried Strawberries. Crushed into powder, these add color and strawberry flavor to the icing, without excess moisture.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Whole Milk. Thins the icing to a drizzly consistency.
Instructions
Cookies
- In a bowl, combine everything except the flour and baking soda. Use an electric mixer to beat the ingredients together for about 2 minutes, until well combined.
- Combine the flour and baking soda, add to the cookie dough, and use a spatula to stir the dough together.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp) to scoop the dough into 24 balls. Roll the balls smooth between your hands, roll the dough balls in the extra 1/4 cup sugar, then slightly flatten the balls with the palm of your hand. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours before baking the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the chilled cookie dough on the pan, with 2-3 inches between each. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated until ready to bake.
- Bake the cookies for about 10-11 minutes, until the edges are set. Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool for about 15-20 minutes before icing.
Icing
- In a bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder and crushed freeze dried strawberries. Stir in the vanilla and milk until smooth and drizzly.
- To ice the cookies, you can just use a spoon to lightly drizzle the icing over the tops of the cookies.
- Or, for the look pictured in today’s post, hold a cookie by the edges, and very lightly dip the top of the cookie in the icing. You don’t want to submerge the cookie and fully cover the top in icing, or you won’t see the pretty crackles in the cookies. The next photos demonstrate this same method used for my iced oatmeal cookies.
- Let the iced cookies dry for several hours until the icing is fully set.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the icing stay dry or sticky?
With the help of the meringue powder (don’t leave it out!), the icing dries hard on top of the cookies.
How should I store leftover strawberry sugar cookies?
After the icing fully dries, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days. Separate layers of cookies with sheets of wax paper.
Can these cookies be frozen?
You can freeze the un-iced cookies in an airtight container for up to 3-6 months. Thaw cookies completely, then dip in the icing. If you freeze them with the icing, the icing will get sticky when it thaws out.
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High Altitude Strawberry Sugar Cookies
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Electric Mixer (Stand or Hand-Held)
Ingredients
Cookies
- â…“ cup pureed, smashed or very finely chopped fresh strawberries (about 3-4 medium strawberries)
- 1 cup granulated sugar, (plus 1/4 cup extra, for rolling the cookies)
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft
- 2 large egg yolks (save the whites for another use)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount
- 1 ½ tsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp finely crushed freeze dried strawberries
- 1 drop "super red" gel food coloring, optional
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, fluffed, spooned and leveled
- ¾ tsp baking soda
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tsp meringue powder
- 1 tbsp finely crushed freeze dried strawberries
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 ½ – 4 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
Cookies
- In a bowl, combine everything except the flour and baking soda. Use an electric mixer to beat the ingredients together for about 2 minutes, until well combined.
- Combine the flour and baking soda, add to the cookie dough, and use a spatula to stir the dough together.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tbsp) to scoop the dough into 24 balls. Roll the balls smooth between your hands, roll the dough balls in the extra 1/4 cup sugar, then slightly flatten the balls with the palm of your hand. Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours before baking the cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place the chilled cookie dough on the pan, with 2-3 inches between each. Keep the remaining dough refrigerated until ready to bake.
- Bake the cookies for about 10-11 minutes, until the edges are set. Let cool on the pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool for about 15-20 minutes before icing.
Icing
- In a bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder and crushed freeze dried strawberries. Stir in the vanilla and milk until smooth and drizzly.
- To ice the cookies, you can just use a spoon to lightly drizzle the icing over the tops of the cookies. Or, for the look pictured in today's post, hold a cookie by the edges, and very lightly dip the top of the cookie in the icing. You don't want to submerge the cookie and fully cover the top in icing, or you won't see the pretty crackles in the cookies.
- Let the iced cookies dry for several hours until the icing is fully set.
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