Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cold butter creamed with sugars, mixed flours with starch for tender crumb. Golden Oreos swapped from original sandwich for crunch. Freeze dried strawberries burst sweet-tart flavor, paired with white chocolate chips. Vanilla replaced by almond extract for subtle nutty depth, plus a dash of strawberry emulsion lifting aroma. Six large cookies shaped by hand, baked until golden, edges firm with soft centers. Cool on sheet first—trick to keep shape. Timing flexible, watch for cracks on surface and light browning undercookie edges. Moist cookie texture with crisp patches from Oreos, rocky strawberry bits, and melty white chunks. A twist on classic shortcake flavors, but portable. Butter temperature key—too soft ruins texture. Use parchment or mat; prevents browning edges. Oven spots matter, rotate half-way or watch closer in last minutes.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
9 min
Total:
36 min
Servings:
6 large cookies
#American dessert
#cookie baking
#berry cookies
#holiday treats
#white chocolate chips
Cold butter chunks folding into sugary fluff. That creamed base—the heart. I prefer almond extract over vanilla for subtle nutty depth hidden behind strawberry burst; keeps it from over-sweet. Oreos chopped, not crushed, give surprise crunch. Freeze dried strawberries not just decoration; they pop tartness mid-chew, contrast white chocolate’s sweetness. I once switched cake flour with spelt flour but toughened crumb; stuck to mix flours balance now. Oven heat varies—watch cookie edges, cracked top tell done better than timer. Those 6 big cookies satisfy the sweet tooth without overload. A handheld twist on strawberry shortcake, portable. Cooling on sheet crucial; removing too early = doughy bottoms. Use parchment or mat; no sticking, no dark burnt edges. Best lesson from many batches.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cake flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup chopped Golden Oreo cookies
- ½ cup freeze dried strawberries, crushed
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon strawberry emulsion
About the ingredients
Flours: all-purpose + cake flour = tender but structured cookie. Cornstarch lightens crumb; don’t skip. Butter cold, not softened unless creaming step; room temp butter ruins folding and texture—makes cookies flat. Sugars combined for flavor complexity and moisture—brown sugar’s molasses holds moisture, white sugar for crisp edges. Almond extract swapped for vanilla to cut cloying; use less if too strong. Frozen or fresh strawberries won’t work the same; freeze dried is concentrated flavor with crunch. Golden Oreos stand in for regular to avoid color bleeding; chopped chunky, not powdered for texture, adds crunch surprise. White chocolate chips add sweet pockets and melt into creamy spots. Strawberry emulsion not extract; stronger fruit aroma, not bitter. Eggs: whole + yolk create richness, moisture, and binding; don’t overbeat. Salt balances sweet; baking soda & powder reaction critical for rise. Adjust baking temps ±5°F if your oven hot or cold. Use parchment paper or silicone mat for even cook and non-stick. Cold dough straight from fridge bakes best; warm dough = spreading galore.
Method
- Preheat oven to 380°F. Hot air flows fast; trust cues not clock.
- Mix dry: sift all-purpose, cake flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt. Use whisk, break lumps, aerate. Setup bowl nearby.
- Grab cold butter. Paddle attachment on medium speed, cream with white and brown sugar. About 3-4 minutes. Butter needs to soften, sugar dissolve, air whipped in. Feels fluffy, paler. Too warm? Chill briefly; greasy blobs ruin lift.
- Add egg and yolk separately. Beat each addition fully; creates emulsion, holds air bubbles. Pour almond extract, stir but don't overwork.
- Slowly fold dry ingredients in two batches. Use paddle low speed or spatula gently folding. Overmix = tough cookies. Dough thick, cold butter chunks visible is good.
- Fold in chopped Golden Oreos, freeze dried strawberries, white chocolate chips, plus strawberry emulsion. Oreos crunch, strawberries pop tart. White chocolate melts during baking—sweet islands.
- Divide dough into six parts. Shape roughly round, thick, around 3 inches diameter. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment or silicone mat. Space well – cookies flatten slightly.
- Bake middle rack 9-11 minutes. Edges start browning, cracks form on tops, centers still soft but set. Smell fruity chocolate aroma. Don’t rely solely on time; oven variance.
- Let cool on tray 10-15 minutes to firm up. Transfer with spatula to wire rack to avoid soggy bottoms. Cooling temp important for texture set; hot cookies = fall apart.
- Serve warm or room temp. Store airtight; crisp outer textures soften after 24 hrs but flavors meld.
Cooking tips
Start preheating oven to 380°F; air needs to stabilize—too cold oven = spread out, greasy cookies. Whisk dry ingredients fully; clumps = uneven pockets or bad texture. Cream butter and sugars at medium speed for 3-4 mins until visibly lightened. Avoid warm butter; if melted, chill bowl/dough briefly or redo. Add eggs one at a time to maintain emulsion; keeps dough stable. Slowly add dry in batches; folding by hand or paddle tiny bursts prevents gluten overdevelopment. Dough will be thick, clumpy from Oreo chunks; good sign. Distribute Oreos, freeze dried berries, chips carefully—don’t mix too hard. Shape to thick rounds (about 3 inch diameter, 1 inch thick). Overly flat leads to dense cookies, thick means soft center with crisp edge. Baking 9-11 mins; watch edges golden, crack forming; centers slightly soft but not wet. Smell hits nutty, sweet, strawberry—earliest done sign. Cool on pan for 10-15 mins; hot straight out of oven too fragile—collapse. Transfer to wire rack finishes. Avoid overbaking; dry cookies miss buttery chew. Oven spots vary—rotate half way, watch closely last 3 mins. Store airtight, but consume within 2 days to enjoy texture contrasts intact.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cold butter chunk size critical—too soft or over-creamed wrecks texture. Cream sugar and butter medium speed 3-4 mins till pale, fluffy. If too warm, chill briefly; greasy butter kills aeration; no air, dense cookies.
- 💡 Fold dry ingredients gently, half at a time. Overmixing builds gluten; tough cookie crumb. Watch dough texture—thick with visible cold butter bits is good. Oreos, freeze-dried berries add crunch; fold in lightly to avoid crushing or color bleed.
- 💡 Oven temp at 380°F stable with hot air setting. Preheat full time before dough ready. Cookies brown edges, crack tops signal done more than timer. Smell nutty with strawberry hit. Rotate pan midway; uneven heat spots ruin uniform bake.
- 💡 Shape dough into thick rounds near 3 inches diameter; thick means crisp outside but soft inside. Flat disks bake dense and dry, fail springy. Space cookies well on parchment or silicone mat; prevents sticking, promotes even heat circulation.
- 💡 Cooling on sheet 10-15 mins firms cookies but beware too early transfer causes collapse. Wire rack final step stops sogginess below. Store airtight but consume within 2 days; crisp layers soften fast, flavors marry but texture changes.
Common questions
Best butter state?
Cold chunks when mixing dry in. Cream with sugars medium speed till pale and fluffy. Too warm butter ruins lift; chill batter briefly if greasy blobs appear.
Can I swap vanilla for almond extract?
Almond cut cloying sweetness, adds nutty subtlety. Vanilla overpowers strawberry notes here. Use less extract if unsure; too much can mask overall flavor contrast.
Why do edges brown but center stays soft?
Fat and sugar concentrate at edges first, heats faster. Cracks from rising leaveners. Watch aroma and cracks, not just time. Underbaking yields fragile, gummy centers.
How to store cookies?
Airtight container best short term. Avoid fridge; makes cookies hard then stale. Freeze option if longer keeping; thaw room temp before serving. After 24 hrs cookies soften but flavors blend.
