Strawberry Lemonade Shortbread Cookies are sweet, tart, and taste like summer in a cookie! They feature buttery strawberry shortbread dipped in a lemonade glaze and topped with freeze-dried strawberry powder.
These strawberry shortbread cookies are our new favorite summer cookies. We love the combination of sweet strawberry shortbread and tart lemonade glaze. They come together with just a few ingredients and are incredibly easy to make. Make them for your next family gathering or barbecue, just be prepared to share the recipe!
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About Strawberry Lemonade Shortbread Cookies
- Texture - These buttery shortbread cookies have a firm exterior with a smooth glaze and crumbly interior.
- Flavor - The cookies are packed with strawberry and lemon flavor.
- Time - It takes just 15 minutes to prepare the dough, 1 hour to chill it, about 12 minutes to bake the cookies, and just a few minutes to whisk the glaze.
- Effort - These lemon strawberry cookies require very little effort. All you need to do is mix the ingredients, chill the dough, bake the cookies, and whisk the glaze.
Ingredients
Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
- Sugar - Sugar provides sweetness.
- Freeze dried strawberries - Freeze-dried strawberries to add the signature strawberry flavor.
- Butter - Butter provides richness. We use European butter because it has a higher fat content resulting in a crisper, more buttery cookie.
- All purpose flour - All purpose flour is the foundation for the cookies.
- Vanilla extract - Vanilla extract adds complexity and sweetness to the cookie dough.
- Kosher salt - Kosher salt accentuates the rich flavor of the cookies.
Lemonade Vanilla Bean Glaze
- Powdered sugar - Powdered sugar is the sweet base of the glaze.
- Lemon juice and zest - Fresh lemon juice and zest provides a bright and zesty flavor.
- Vanilla bean paste - Vanilla bean paste adds the rich vanilla flavor to the glaze. If you don't have vanilla bean paste, use vanilla extract instead.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions/Variations
- Chocolate dipped - Dip these cookies in chocolate for an extra decadent cookie. You can also omit the lemon and strawberry for a pure chocolate dipped shortbread.
- Nuts - Add chopped pecans, almonds, or walnuts to the dough for a rich and hearty crunch.
- Vanilla glaze - Try these cookies without lemon in the glaze for a simple and purer flavored glaze.
Instructions
- Cream butter - In a large bowl, use a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer and cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Then use a silicone baking spatula and scrape the sides of the mixing bowl walls to bring the butter mixture to the center of the bowl. (Photo 1 and 2)
- Combine ingredients - Reduce speed to low and add sifted flour, strawberry powder, and kosher salt and mix until the ingredients are just combined. Do not over-mix the dough. Transfer to a sheet of parchment paper. (Photo 3 and 4)
- Roll the dough (roll and slice) - Transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Form the dough into a 1½ to 2-inch wide log, wrap tightly, and twist the ends. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Then slice into ¼-½-inch cookies and place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (Photo 5 and 6)
- Slice and bake - Then slice into ¼-½-inch cookies and place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. (Photo 7 and 8)
- Roll the dough (cookie cutter) - Alternatively, transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Then place a second sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and roll with a rolling pin to create a ¼-½-inch sheet of dough, then refrigerate for at least 1 an hour to ensure the dough solidifies and the cookies have the perfect crumbly texture. Use a cookie cutter of choice and cut the dough. Form the excess dough into a one large ball, roll it out into a sheet again, and cut with the cookie cutter. Continue until all the dough is used. Place the cookies onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Heat oven and bake - Once the cookie dough is cut and ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 12-15 minutes. The edges will be very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Whisk glaze - In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract until it forms a smooth glaze. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Iff the glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice. (Photo 9)
- Glaze cookies - Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze, allow the excess glaze to drip into the bowl, and place each cookie on a wire rack. (Photo 10)
- Dust with strawberries - Then dust freeze dried strawberry powder on top and allow the glaze to set and dry. (Photo 11 and 12)
Note - This recipe makes 21 2-inch cookies or 30 1½-inch cookies. The number of cookies will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter. Remember that the smaller the cookie, the shorter the bake time.
Storage
Store these strawberry lemonade cookies in an air-tight container and keep in a cool, dry place for up to 7 days. Be sure to cool down the cookies before you store them in a container to ensure the cookies maintain their texture. If the cookies are hot, the steam from the cookies will make the cookies soggy inside of the container.
You can also freeze the cookies for up to 1 month. To freeze, let the baked cookies reach room temperature then place them in a freezer safe storage bag, press out the air, and seal them. When you are ready to enjoy them again, thaw them in the fridge or on the counter.
Baking Tips
- Keep your strawberry powder completely dry or it will melt and lose its powdery texture.
- Use an aluminum baking sheet for even heating and line the baking sheet with parchment paper to minimize sticking and cleanup time.
- Don't over-mix the dough to ensure the cookies spread evenly and have a light texture. Over mixing can make the cookies tough and dense.
- Bake on the middle rack for even baking. If baking more than one sheet of cookies, place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure the cookies bake evenly.
- Use a lower oven temperature - Shortbread is delicate and can burn easily. Bake them at a lower temperature of 350°F to ensure the cookies bake evenly and don't burn.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few keys to good shortbread. First, use high-quality ingredients to ensure that the shortbread is rich and buttery. Second, don't overwork the dough or it won't have its signature crumbly texture. Finally, use the proper ratio of flour, butter, and sugar so the dough isn't too dry or wet.
No, shortbread cookies are crumbly and soft while sugar cookies tend to be firmer. Shortbread cookies also have a rich and buttery flavor while sugar cookies are sweeter.
Yes, chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape and give the gluten a chance to form. Also, if the dough is too warm, the butter can melt too quickly during baking resulting in an uneven texture.
Shortbread should be the perfect balance of crunchy and soft. It should be tender and crumbly, but also crispy when you bite into it.
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Lemonade Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder divided, *see notes if making your own powder
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Lemonade Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract optional
Instructions
- Cream butter - In a large mixing bowl, use a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer and cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Use a silicone baking spatula and scrape the sides of the mixing bowl walls to bring the butter mixture to the center of the bowl.1 cup butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Combine ingredients - Reduce speed to low and add sifted flour, 3 tablespoons of strawberry powder, and kosher salt and mix until the ingredients are just combined. Do not over-mix the dough.4 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder, 2 cups all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Roll the dough (roll and slice) - Transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Form the dough into a 1½ to 2-inch wide log, wrap tightly, and twist the ends. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Slice into ¼-½-inch cookies and place them onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Roll the dough (cookie cutter) - Transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment paper. Place a second sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and roll with a rolling pin to create a ¼-½-inch sheet of dough, then refrigerate for at least 1 an hour. Use a cookie cutter of choice and cut the dough. Form the excess dough into a ball, roll it out into a sheet again, and cut with the cookie cutter. Continue until all the dough is used. Place the cookies onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Heat oven and bake - Once the cookie dough is cut and ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 12-15 minutes. The edges will be very lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Whisk glaze - In a bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract until it forms a smooth glaze. If the glaze is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar; if the glaze is too thick, add a little more lemon juice.1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- Glaze cookies - Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze, allow the excess glaze to drip into the bowl, and place each cookie on a wire rack. Dust with the remaining tablespoon of freeze-dried strawberry powder on top and allow the glaze to set and dry.
Video
Notes
- This recipe makes 21 3-inch cookies or 30 1½-inch cookies. The number of cookies will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter.
- Keep your strawberry powder completely dry or it will melt and lose its powdery texture.
- Use an aluminum baking sheet for even heating and line the baking sheet with parchment paper to minimize sticking and cleanup time.
- Don't over-mix the dough so the cookies spread evenly and stay light. Over mixing can make the cookies tough and dense.
- Bake on the middle rack for even baking. If baking more than one sheet of cookies, place the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Then rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure the cookies bake evenly.
- Use a lower oven temperature - Shortbread is delicate and can burn easily. Bake them at 350°F to ensure the cookies bake evenly and don't burn.
- *Freeze-dried strawberry powder - You can make your own freeze-dried strawberry powder by pulsing freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor. One half cup of whole or sliced freeze-dried strawberries equals about 4 tablespoons (a quarter cup) of strawberry powder.
- Store cookies in an air-tight container and keep in a cool, dry place for up to 7 days. Be sure to cool down the cookies before you store them in a container to ensure the cookies maintain their texture. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 1 month. To freeze, let the baked cookies reach room temperature then place them in a storage bag, press out the air, and seal them. When you are ready to enjoy them again, thaw them in the fridge or on the counter.
Estee Wesley
Good morning. Is it possible to make these cookies gluten free? If so, how how would I go about doing it? Thank you!!!
Kathleen Higashiyama
Hi Estee, we haven't tried making this specific recipe gluten-free; however, we have made some gluten-free bakes before with this specific 1-to-1 gluten-free flour and it's fantastic. If you try to make this recipe gf with that flour, please let us know how it turns out!