Valentines Day Strawberry Cookies (Printable Version)

Soft sugar cookies flavored with strawberries and finished with smooth royal icing.

# What You Need:

→ Strawberry Sugar Cookies

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
04 - 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 0.5 teaspoon almond extract
09 - 0.25 cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely ground
10 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, as needed

→ Royal Icing

11 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 large egg whites or 4 tablespoons meringue powder plus 0.25 cup water
13 - 0.5 teaspoon lemon juice
14 - 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 - Pink or red gel food coloring, optional

# Steps:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and ground freeze-dried strawberries. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until fully combined.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated. If the dough seems dry, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it comes together without becoming sticky.
05 - Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 0.25 inch thickness. Cut out heart shapes or desired Valentine shapes.
08 - Place cookies 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are just turning golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
10 - In a large bowl, beat egg whites or meringue powder and water with lemon juice until frothy.
11 - Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, beating on low speed until smooth and glossy.
12 - Tint with gel food coloring as desired.
13 - Add a few drops of water for flooding consistency or more powdered sugar for piping outlines.
14 - Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Allow icing to set completely before storing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cookies have this subtle strawberry flavor that tastes sophisticated but still feels like a dessert you'd crave on a regular Tuesday.
  • Royal icing gives you permission to be creative and a little messy, which is half the fun of making treats for people you love.
  • They hold up beautifully in an airtight container, so you can actually make them ahead without stress.
02 -
  • Freeze-dried strawberries make all the difference in flavor, but they have to be ground very fine or they'll create tough, gritty spots that mess with the texture of your dough.
  • Room temperature ingredients cream together much more smoothly than cold ones, and this creates a lighter, more tender cookie that melts on your tongue instead of being dense and heavy.
  • Royal icing made with meringue powder is genuinely safer than raw egg whites, especially if you're making these for people outside your household.
03 -
  • If you're not confident with piping bags, just spread the icing with a small offset spatula or the back of a spoon—it looks beautiful and feels way less intimidating.
  • Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they'll stay fresh for up to 5 days, which makes them perfect for preparing ahead if you're giving them as gifts.
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