Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Strawberry shortcake just might be the sweetest summer dessert there is. The pairing of juicy strawberries and decadent whipped cream is the stuff dessert dreams are made of. I'm so obsessed I decided I had to take the signature flavors of the classic dessert and turn them into sugar cookies. Not only are these cookies filled with bursts of sweet strawberries, but they harbor a special surprise: a killer lemony cream cheese filling. With their bright, fresh flavors, these cookies are the ultimate spring dessert or summer treat. Here's how to make them the best they can be:

What People Are Saying:
"These tasted so amazing—the cream cheese filling takes these from your average cookie to something I'll be thinking about for weeks. They were perfectly chewy and balanced in flavor. I want more immediately." - megh4263

"Tried this today and it’s oh soo yummy. The recipe is ready to follow, even for a first time baker like me!" - OrangeButton

How To Make Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

INGREDIENTS

FILLING

• Cream Cheese: The base for the filling. I adore the way it contributes creamy, indulgent texture while offering a tart counterpoint to the sweet cookies.
• Confectioners' Sugar: I wanted the filling to be as smooth and creamy as possible, so confectioners' sugar was the obvious choice for the sweetener. This sugar has a remarkable ability to dissolve into a mixture without leaving even the faintest trace.
• Lemon Zest: I use lemon zest to bring sunny, citrusy brightness to the filling.

COOKIES

• Strawberries: Fresh strawberries deliver delightful bursts of juicy sweetness. Macerating them in a little lemon juice and sugar intensifies their flavor and rids them of excess juice.
• Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar helps the cookies spread and crisp; brown sugar promotes chewiness. I use the two in tandem to ensure well-balanced sweetness and texture.
• All-Purpose Flour: A-P flour is ideal because it has just the right amount of protein to give provide structure without making the cookies tough.
• Baking Powder: In the spirit of shortcake, I leavened the cookies with baking powder to give them a slightly cakier texture. Baking powder carries the added benefit of a more neutral flavor than baking soda.
• Butter: Butter temperature is a key factor in ensuring the right degree of loft and spread in these cookies. Before you cream the butter make sure it’s just soft enough to leave an indentation when pressed.
• Egg: One egg goes a long way toward helping the dough cohere and giving the cookies structure.
• Vanilla Extract: Makes a lovely, aromatic complement to the sweet strawberries and the cream cheese filling.
• Sparkling Sugar: Purely optional but topping the cookies with this sugar really does give them a wonderful sparkle and adds a nice textural contrast. If you don’t have sparkling sugar, try demerara or turbinado sugar instead.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

To begin let’s tick the filling off our to-do list. Line a large plate or small baking sheet with parchment paper to keep things tidy and prevent sticking later on. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temp, thne add it to a medium bowl along with the confectioners' sugar and lemon zest. Beat until smooth and creamy. Then, using a small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tsp.), portion out the filling into 12 balls and place on the prepared plate or baking sheet. Freeze until solid, about 30 minutes.

All right, let's talk strawberries. In this step, we're going to macerate them, which is just another way of saying we'll be mixing them with sugar and lemon juice and letting them sit for a bit. This does two important things: First, it sweetens the berries and intensifies their flavors, making them taste even more amazing. Second, it helps remove some of the berries’ excess liquid, which is a good thing because we don’t want extra liquid in the cookie dough. So, grab a small bowl and toss the strawberries, lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp. sugar to combine. Let them hang out for about 10 minutes; you should see juices pooling in the bottom of the bowl.

Time to get serious about the cookie dough. First let’s deal with the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk them together until well blended.

Now for the so-called wet ingredients. You’ll need a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer for this. You’ll also want to make sure your butter is room temperature. Add the butter, brown sugar, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar to the bowl. Starting on low speed and gradually increasing to medium, beat until the mixture turns pale in color and looks fluffy. Next up, add the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine. And now for the flour; for this you’ll need to switch to a rubber spatula. Gently fold in the flour until just combined; don’t overmix or it’ll be tough cookies for you!

Drain the macerated strawberries, then gently fold them into the dough until just combined.

Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment; grease the parchment with cooking spray. Now, roll up your sleeves and prepare to shape some cookies! Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 Tbsp.) to portion out the dough onto a prepared baking sheet; you should have 24 dough balls.

Flatten each ball into a pancake-like round. Working one cookie at a time, place a frozen ball of cream cheese filling on a round of cookie dough.

Top with a second round of cookie dough, pinch the edges to seal, then roll between your palms to form a ball. If you find the dough sticking to your hands, don’t fret—just dampen your hands with a little water, shake off any excess, and continue forming cookies.

If you’re using sparkling sugar, sprinkle some over each cookie. Freeze the cookies until solid, about 30 minutes.

While cookies are in the freezer, preheat your oven to 350°. At last, you’re ready to bake! Divide the cookies between the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2" apart.

Bake until the cookies are set and just golden around edges, about 18 minutes.

Full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• What to do if the cookie dough sticks to your hands: If you find yourself snowballing cookie dough on your hands, give your hands a rinse and shake off the excess water before returning to shape the rest. Having slightly dampened hands—not dripping wet, a drop or two on the palms—will help the dough release much more cleanly from your warm hands.

Storage

If you manage to have any leftover cookies, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.