Description
Delight in these vibrant Strawberry Sugar Cookies that capture the sweet essence of fresh strawberries in every bite. These vegan cookies are soft, tender, and beautifully pink, made from a homemade strawberry reduction that infuses natural fruit flavor and color. Perfect for a light snack or a charming treat to share, these cookies come with an optional sugar coating for extra crunch and shimmer.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberry Cookies
- 3 cups (360g) strawberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (150g) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 1/4-1 teaspoon pink or red food coloring, as needed
- 2 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter)
Sugar Coating (Optional)
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Make the strawberry reduction: Blend or puree strawberries using a stick blender or food processor to yield about 1 1/2 cups of puree. In a large pot or saucepan over medium heat, cook the puree, stirring occasionally, until thick and reduced to 120g (heaped 1/3 cup) resembling tomato paste in consistency, which takes 15-30 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Prepare the cookie dough: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and vegan butter until well combined. Add the cooled strawberry puree, vanilla extract, and food coloring; beat again until evenly mixed.
- Add dry ingredients: Incorporate flour, baking soda, and salt into the wet mixture and beat until just combined. Adjust food coloring to desired intensity, noting the color fades during baking. If dough feels too sticky, cover and refrigerate for 10-20 minutes.
- Form cookie balls: Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, portion dough into about 20 balls (~2 tablespoons or 38g each). Roll each ball in the optional granulated sugar, coating evenly.
- Arrange and shape: Place dough balls onto prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart to allow spreading. Optionally flatten slightly for thinner, chewier cookies.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 13-15 minutes until edges look cooked. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Storage and serving: Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container up to 5 days at room temperature, 10 days refrigerated, or freeze up to 1 month.
Notes
- Weigh ingredients, especially strawberries and flour, for consistent results and minimal waste.
- Use 3/4 teaspoon liquid pink food coloring or a heaped 1/4 teaspoon pink gel for medium pink cookies; red food coloring requires less quantity.
- Reducing flour to 2 cups (250g) yields chewier cookies with more strawberry flavor but stickier dough and more cracks.
- King Arthur’s measure-for-measure gluten-free flour works well for gluten-free versions, producing slightly softer dough but excellent baking results.
- If cookies don’t spread in the oven, flatten them gently after baking with a fork or glass bottom.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
