Okay, so picture this: It’s Tuesday evening, Jake’s been traveling for three days straight, and I’m staring at a container of strawberries that are about to go bad. The kids are doing homework at the kitchen table, complaining about everything, and I’m trying to figure out what to make for their class Valentine’s party the next day.
Because of course I forgot. Again.
That’s when I remembered this strawberry cookie recipe I’d been wanting to try. I’d seen it on Pinterest months ago but never got around to it. You know how it is – you save a million recipes and then make spaghetti for the fourth time that week instead.
But these cookies? They saved my sanity that night. And now they’re on permanent rotation in our house.
How I Found (And Fixed) This Recipe
So the original recipe I found was… fine. But the strawberry flavor was barely there. Like, you had to really convince yourself you were tasting strawberries. My 8-year-old Emma took one bite and said, “Mom, these just taste like sugar cookies with pink food coloring.”
Ouch. But she wasn’t wrong.
That’s when I started experimenting. I tried freeze-dried strawberries (game changer!), strawberry extract, even strawberry Jello powder. The freeze-dried strawberries were the winner – they give you that intense strawberry flavor without adding extra liquid that makes your cookies spread into pancakes.

My Biggest Cookie Fail (Learn From My Mistakes!)
First time I made these, I used fresh strawberries. Seemed logical, right? Fresh fruit = better cookies?
WRONG.
The cookies turned into flat, soggy messes. The fresh strawberries released so much moisture that my beautiful cookie dough became cookie soup. I tried to salvage them by adding more flour, but then they tasted like cardboard. The whole batch went straight to the trash, and I had to make store-bought cookies for the party.
Now I know better. Freeze-dried strawberries are your friend here. Trust me on this one.
The Recipe That Actually Works
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, softened (I use Land O Lakes – it creams better than store brand)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp strawberry extract (McCormick if you can find it)
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries, crushed (I buy the big bag from Costco)
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (optional, but the kids love them)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper (don’t skip this – trust me).
- Crush those freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until they’re mostly powder with some small chunks. Don’t over-process or you’ll get strawberry dust everywhere.
- Cream butter and both sugars until fluffy – about 3-4 minutes with a stand mixer. This step matters for texture.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla and strawberry extract.
- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to wet ingredients gradually. Don’t overmix!
- Fold in crushed strawberries and white chocolate chips.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Bake 9-11 minutes until edges are just set. Centers should still look slightly underdone.
- Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
My Real-Life Tips (Because Life is Messy)
The freeze-dried strawberry hack: If you can’t find them in stores, Amazon has them. I keep a bag in my pantry now because the kids request these cookies constantly.
When I’m feeling fancy: I drizzle melted white chocolate on top once they’re cooled. Takes 30 seconds, looks impressive.
When life is chaos: I make the dough on Sunday and keep it in the fridge. Bake fresh cookies throughout the week. The dough keeps for about 5 days.
Brand stuff that matters: I tried generic strawberry extract once. Don’t. The McCormick actually tastes like strawberries instead of artificial candy.
The Emma modification: My younger daughter likes them better without the white chocolate chips. She says they’re “too fancy.” Fair enough.
The Sophie upgrade: My 12-year-old sprinkles pink sugar on top before baking. It’s extra, but she’s 12, so everything has to be extra.

How These Fit Into Our Crazy Life
These cookies have become our go-to for everything. School parties, playdates, “I need something sweet but don’t want to go to the store” moments. Last month when I was running late for Sophie’s soccer snack duty, I threw a batch in the oven while I was getting ready. They were done and cooled by the time we needed to leave.
The kids’ friends always ask for the recipe, which makes me feel like I actually know what I’m doing in the kitchen. (Spoiler: I’m usually just winging it.)
And honestly? These are one of the few homemade treats that actually disappear faster than store-bought ones. That’s saying something in a house where Pop-Tarts are considered a food group.
The Real Talk
Look, I’m not going to pretend these are health food. They’re cookies. But they’re made with real ingredients, they taste amazing, and they make my kids happy. Sometimes that’s enough.
Plus, when Jake gets home from his business trips and sees these in the cookie jar, he knows we survived another week without burning the house down. That’s a win in my book.
The grocery store strawberries are looking pretty sad this week (anyone else notice how expensive everything is lately?), but I’ve got my freeze-dried backup ready to go. These cookies are happening whether produce cooperates or not.’
Best Strawberry Cookies (That Actually Taste Like Strawberries!)
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy30
servings15
minutes11
minutes160
kcal26
minutesThese soft and chewy strawberry cookies are bursting with real strawberry flavor thanks to freeze-dried strawberries that won’t make your cookies soggy. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, spring gatherings, or anytime you’re craving something sweet and fruity. The secret is using freeze-dried strawberries instead of fresh ones – they give you an intense strawberry taste without the extra moisture that ruins cookie texture. Optional white chocolate chips add a creamy sweetness that kids love. These cookies stay soft for days and are always a hit at parties and potlucks.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp strawberry extract
1 cup freeze-dried strawberries, crushed
1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Crush freeze-dried strawberries in food processor until mostly powder with small chunks.
- Cream butter and both sugars until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla and strawberry extract.
- In separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to wet ingredients gradually.
- Fold in crushed strawberries and white chocolate chips.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake 9-11 minutes until edges are just set. Centers should look slightly underdone.
- Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack.
Notes
- Don’t use fresh strawberries – they make cookies soggy!
Dough keeps in fridge for 5 days
Store cookies in airtight container up to 1 week