Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

When I think of May, I think of my mom and celebrating Mother’s Day. I can remember my mom going to local farms to pick some of the biggest and juiciest strawberries off the vines and letting me snack on a few while she picked them. Later she would make her version of strawberry shortcake using the naturally sweet strawberries, cool whip and buttery shortbread cookies. I’ve found this recipe that has all the flavors in one bite. I hope you all enjoy!

Cookie Ingredients:

4 Ounces Granulated Sugar
8 Ounces Unsalted Butter, room temperature
12 Ounces All-purpose Flour
½ TSP Kosher Salt
½ Ounce Freeze-dried Strawberries

Strawberry Glaze Ingredients:

¼ Cup Chopped Strawberries
1 Cup Powdered Sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the sugar and the freeze-dried strawberries in the bowl of a food processor and process until freeze-dried strawberries are pulverized, about 30 seconds.
Place the butter, strawberry-sugar mixture and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth about two minutes. Stop mixer, scrape down the bowl and add all the flour at once. Mix on low speed until all the flour is combined. The dough will be crumbly at this point. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough has completely come together, about two minutes.
Turn dough on to lightly-floured table and divide into four equal parts. Take each portion and roll the dough into 1½-inch thick logs. Refrigerate for two hours overnight.
Cut logs into desired thickness and place on sheet pan with parchment paper.
Bake the cookies for 8-12 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
Take the cookies out of the oven and allow them to cool for about five minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to a cookie rack to completely cool.
The shortbread cookies can be stored in an airtight container for one week.

Strawberry Glaze:
Combine the chopped strawberries and powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process until no bits of powdered sugar or large chunks of berries remain. At this point, the glaze is ready for the cooled cookies.
If you want a thicker glaze, add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until it is the desired consistency. If you want a thinner glaze, add chopped berries, two tablespoons at a time.