Double Strawberry Sugar Cookies : Soft, Pretty & Packed with Real Berry Flavor

Let’s Bake a Little Sunshine

Hey friends, Jackson from Food Meld here. Have you ever bitten into a cookie and just… grinned? I’m talking about a full-on, can’t-help-it, pure joy kind of smile. That’s the exact feeling I’m chasing with every recipe I create, and it’s the whole heart and soul behind these Double Strawberry Sugar Cookies.

We’ve all had a sugar cookie, right? They’re the classic, the reliable, the blank canvas of the cookie world. But what if we took that beloved, soft, and chewy base and infused it with the vibrant, sunny flavor of fresh-picked strawberries? Not just a hint, but a double dose of real, fruity magic? That’s the “Meld” in action, my friends.

These cookies are a celebration. They’re soft, pretty as a picture with their pink-speckled insides and pastel glaze, and they pack a serious punch of berry flavor. We’re using two powerhouse ingredients: a hefty amount of powdered freeze-dried strawberries for a concentrated flavor that won’t make the dough soggy, and a gorgeous swirl of high-quality strawberry jam for little pockets of sweet, fruity goodness. And just when you think it can’t get better, we’re crowning them with a luscious strawberry cream cheese glaze that’s the stuff of dreams.

This isn’t a fussy, complicated bakery project. This is a “get your hands dirty, let’s have some fun in the kitchen” kind of recipe. So, preheat your oven, grab your favorite mixing bowl, and let’s cook something awesome together. You’re about to make your kitchen smell incredible and create a cookie that’s truly unforgettable.

A Strawberry Memory in My Grandma’s Kitchen

This recipe takes me right back to my grandma’s porch in the height of summer. She had this little patch of strawberry plants out back, and I swear, the berries we grew were the sweetest, reddest things on earth. I’d be out there, knees dirty, hunting for the ripest ones, and she’d always let me eat a few straight from the vine, the warm juice running down my chin.

But the best part was what came next. She’d take my haul and turn them into the simplest, most perfect strawberry jam. It wasn’t for canning or fancy gifts; it was just for us, to be slathered on biscuits or, her specialty, thumbprint cookies. That memory of warm, jammy cookies melting in my mouth is a core flavor of my childhood. These Double Strawberry Cookies are my grown-up, full-throttle tribute to that feeling. They capture that same sun-ripened joy, but with an extra layer of flavor that’s all our own. Every time I make them, it feels like a little bit of that summer sunshine is right there in the kitchen with me.

Gathering Your Flavor Arsenal

Here’s the lineup for our strawberry masterpiece. The beauty of this recipe is in the ingredients – we’re using smart, simple stuff to create maximum impact. Let’s break it down.

For the Cookies:

• 3 cups freeze-dried strawberries: This is our secret weapon! Blending them into a powder gives us an intense, pure strawberry flavor without adding any extra liquid. It’s what gives the cookies that gorgeous color and real fruit taste. Chef’s Insight: Don’t skip this! You can find them in the snack aisle or with the dried fruits.
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temperature: Soft, room-temperature butter is non-negotiable for a soft and chewy cookie. It creams together with the sugar to create a light, airy base. I love using salted butter for that perfect sweet-and-salty balance. Sub Tip: Unsalted butter works fine, just add an extra ¼ tsp of salt to the dough.
• 1 cup granulated sugar: For that classic sugar cookie sweetness and a little crispness on the edges.
• 1 large egg: Our binding agent, bringing everything together and adding richness.
• 2 tsp vanilla extract: The perfect supporting act that makes the strawberry flavor pop even more.
• 2 cups all-purpose flour: The trusty foundation of our cookie.
• 1 tsp baking soda: Our leavening agent for the perfect lift and chew.
• ½ tsp kosher salt: The flavor enhancer. It might seem small, but it makes all the difference in balancing the sweetness.
• ⅓ cup high-quality strawberry jam: The “second hit” of strawberry! We’re swirling this in for little pockets of jammy goodness. Chef’s Insight: Go for a jam with real fruit pieces for the best texture and flavor.

For the Strawberry Icing:

• 2 oz cream cheese, softened: This adds a subtle tang and makes the glaze luxuriously creamy and thick.
• 2 cups powdered sugar: The base of our sweet, smooth glaze.
• ¼ cup hot milk: Hot milk helps dissolve the powdered sugar and creates a silky, pourable consistency. Sub Tip: Any milk you have on hand works—whole, 2%, or even oat milk.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: A little more vanilla to round out the glaze.
• Remaining strawberry powder: We’re using the rest of our magic strawberry dust to flavor and color the icing naturally!

Let’s Make Some Magic: The Step-by-Step

Alright, team, this is where the fun begins. Follow these steps, and you’ll be a cookie hero in no time. I’ve packed this section with all my favorite chef hacks to guarantee your success.

1. Make Your Strawberry Powder. This is step one, and it’s a blast. Toss your freeze-dried strawberries into a blender or food processor and let it rip! Blend until you have a super fine, fragrant pink powder. Chef’s Hack: Give the blender a few good shakes halfway through to make sure everything gets evenly powdered. You should have about 1 cup of powder. Set this aside—we’re using most of it in the dough and the rest in our glorious glaze.
2. Prep & Cream That Butter. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat the room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla together. Now, here’s the key: beat it on medium-high speed for a good 2-3 minutes until it’s light, pale, and fluffy. This incorporates air, which is the secret to a tender, not-dense cookie. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg until everything is perfectly combined.
3. Form the Dough. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, about ⅔ of your strawberry powder (save the rest for the icing!), and the salt. Gradually add these dry ingredients to the wet butter mixture, mixing on low speed until *just* combined. Don’t overmix! Now, for the grand finale: drop spoonfuls of that beautiful strawberry jam over the dough. Use a spatula to fold it in gently, just 4-5 folds. We want a marbled, swirled effect, not a fully incorporated, pink dough. Those jam pockets are what we’re after!
4. Shape & Bake to Perfection. Scoop the dough into balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and place them a couple of inches apart on your prepared baking sheet. They don’t need to be perfectly smooth. Bake for 8 minutes. Now, here’s my favorite trick: pull the tray out of the oven and give it a firm but careful tap on the counter. This deflates the cookies just slightly, giving them those perfect, chewy wrinkles and preventing them from doming too much. Pop them back in for another 2-3 minutes, just until the edges look set. The centers might still look a tiny bit soft—that’s exactly what you want!
5. Make the Luscious Icing. While the cookies are cooling, let’s make that glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add the powdered sugar, hot milk, and vanilla, whisking until you have a smooth, glossy glaze. Now, whisk in that remaining strawberry powder. Chef’s Hack: If the glaze is too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. You’re aiming for a thick but pourable consistency.
6. The Grand Finale: Glaze Those Gems. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. I know, the wait is torture, but if you glaze warm cookies, the icing will just melt right off. Once they’re cool, you can either dip the tops straight into the glaze or use a spoon to drizzle it artfully over them. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes before you stack them or dive in.

How to Serve These Strawberry Superstars

Okay, you’ve baked a masterpiece. How do you show it off? These cookies are stars on their own, but a little presentation goes a long way.

I love serving these on a big, rustic wooden board or a pretty pastel plate that complements their pink hue. For a real “wow” moment, stack a few in a tower and dust them with just a tiny bit of extra strawberry powder. They’re the perfect companion to a cold glass of milk, a hot cup of coffee, or my personal favorite, a glass of bubbly Prosecco for a fancy afternoon treat.

These are the cookies you bring to the potluck, the birthday party, or the spring picnic. They’re guaranteed to be the talk of the table. And honestly? My favorite way to serve them is still straight from the cooling rack, standing over the kitchen counter with my wife, breaking one in half while it’s still slightly warm. Some moments are just too good to wait for a plate.

Make It Your Own: Creative Twists

One of my favorite parts of cooking is playing with a recipe. Once you’ve mastered the classic, try one of these fun variations!

• Lemon-Zested Bliss: Add the zest of one lemon to the cookie dough. The bright, zingy lemon and sweet strawberry are a match made in heaven.
• White Chocolate Chip Joy: Fold in ¾ cup of white chocolate chips along with the jam. The creamy sweetness takes these cookies to a whole new level of decadence.
• “Neapolitan” Style: Replace the strawberry jam with an equal amount of high-quality raspberry jam. You’ll get a beautiful red and pink swirl that tastes like the classic ice cream combo.
• Gluten-Free Friendliness: You can easily make these gluten-free! Simply swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. I’ve tested this with great success.
• Venture to Other Berries: The method works with other freeze-dried fruits too! Try it with raspberries or peaches for a whole new world of flavor.

Jackson’s Kitchen Notes & Stories

This recipe has seen a few iterations in the Food Meld test kitchen (aka my home). The first time I made them, I tried using fresh strawberry puree. Big mistake! The extra liquid made the cookies spread way too much and they turned out cakey. That’s when I had the “aha!” moment with the freeze-dried berries. It was a game-changer, giving us that intense flavor without the moisture.

Another funny fail: I once got a little too enthusiastic with the jam swirling and completely over-mixed it. The cookies were still delicious, but they were a uniform pink color and lacked those beautiful jammy pockets. So, learn from my mess! A few gentle folds are all you need. Cooking is all about these little experiments, and even the “mistakes” are usually still pretty tasty.

Your Questions, Answered!

I know you might have a question or two, so I’ve tackled the most common ones right here.

Q: My cookies spread too much. What happened?
A: This usually means your butter was too warm. Make sure it’s just cool to the touch but soft enough to leave an indent when you press it—not melted or greasy. Chilling the dough balls for 15-20 minutes before baking can also help prevent spreading.

Q: Can I make the dough ahead of time?
A> Absolutely! You can scoop the dough balls, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze them solid. Then, toss them in a freezer bag. When a cookie craving hits, just bake them straight from the freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to the bake time.

Q: My glaze is too runny/thick. How can I fix it?
A> No worries, this is an easy fix! If it’s too runny, whisk in more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time. If it’s too thick to drizzle, add more hot milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. You’ve got this!

Q: Where can I find freeze-dried strawberries?
A> Most major grocery stores have them! Check the snack aisle, the organic section, or near the dried fruits and nuts. Brands like Simple Truth (Kroger), Good & Gather (Target), and Crispy Green are widely available.

Nutritional Info (Because We’re All Friends Here)

I’m all about balance—enjoying those bold, comforting flavors while being mindful of what we’re eating. Here’s a rough breakdown per cookie (based on a yield of 24 cookies). Remember, this is an estimate and can vary based on your specific ingredients.

• Calories: ~180 kcal
• Fat: 8g
• Carbohydrates: 25g
• Sugar: 16g
• Protein: 2g

These are a treat, through and through. Savor them, share them, and enjoy every single delicious bite without any guilt.

You Did It! Now, Go Enjoy the Fruits of Your Labor.

Well, my friend, you’ve made it. You’ve just created a batch of cookies that are anything but ordinary. You took a simple idea and, with a little “what if we tried this?” energy, turned it into something truly special. That’s what cooking is all about for me.

I hope these Double Strawberry Sugar Cookies bring a little bit of that springtime joy and a whole lot of flavor to your kitchen. I hope they make you and the people you share them with smile. This is exactly why I started Food Meld—to share these moments and these recipes with you.

Now, go grab one of those beautiful cookies, pour yourself a drink, and bask in the glory of a kitchen win. You’ve earned it. Until next time, let’s keep cooking awesome stuff together.

– Jackson