These Strawberry Crunch Cookies start with sugar cookie dough and get their bright flavor from crushed dehydrated strawberries. The berries blend into the dough for a natural pink color and little pops of tangy sweetness.
I love to serve delicious cookies to my family and friends. Two popular ones are my beautiful, Cream Cheese Kolache Cookies and my Pistachios Shortbread Cookies.
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Why this Strawberry Crunch Cookie Recipe is a Keeper
These cookies are some of my favorites. My easy homemade Strawberry Crunch Cookies taste just like the popular Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream bars, now in cookie form. These cookies are perfect for summer.
- Soft and Crunchy: The cookie base is soft with a crunchy surprise and topping with some amazing icing.
- Easy Ingredients: Many recipes use simple ingredients like cake mix and crushed strawberries for these butter cookies.
- Great for Parties: Bright color and crunchy topping make them stand out on dessert trays.
- Nostalgic Flavor: Inspired by strawberry shortcake ice cream bars.
How Do I Keep the Strawberry Crunch Crunchy?
The best way to make the strawberry crunch stay crunchy is to let them cool completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Pro Tip to Love these Cookies
Press the strawberry crunch topping gently into the cookie dough before baking so it stays in place and creates a crisp crumble layer.
Ingredient Notes for Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
This homemade strawberry crunch cookies recipe only requires a couple ingredients you can get at the store.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Sugar Cookie Mix: For ease, use a package of sugar cookie mix. You could also use your favorite homemade sugar cookie recipe.
- Dehydrated Strawberries: Instead of using a strawberry jello powder, crush some dehydrated strawberries into a dust. It brings the perfect strawberry flavor. Pick up a pack from the store, or make your own at home.
Variations and Substitutions – Add White Chocolate
Easily change up these easy strawberry crunch cookies by adding different frostings or stirring in other add-ins.
- Add White Chocolate Chips: Adds sweetness and extra texture.
- Use Cake Mix: In place of the cookie dough use a box strawberry cake mix.
- Make Sandwich Cookies: Add frosting between two cookies.
- Add Cream Cheese Glaze: Drizzle glaze over this easy recipe for baked cookies.
Special Equipment for Strawberry Crunch Cookies
You will need just a couple things beyond a mixer and bowls to make this iconic strawberry crunch cookies loaded with strawberry flavor. No rolling pin needed.
- Cookie Scoop: Helps create evenly sized cookies so they bake consistently.
- Food Processor: This will create the strawberry powder.
- Baking Sheet: A sturdy baking sheet ensures even baking.
- Cooling Rack: A cooling rack will help them evenly cool.
How to Make Strawberry Mix Cookies
Strawberry crunch recipes come together in 4 quick and easy steps. Strawberry crunch cookies are soft and delicious, they’re sure to be a hit with strawberry lovers.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Make the Dough: Preheat the oven and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Follow the directions on the package of sugar cookie mix to make the cookie dough.
- Roll in Strawberry Powder: Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a food processor, and blitz until have a powder, Keep some pieces bigger for the crunch. Take even portions of cookie dough and roll them into the strawberry powder.
- Bake the Cookies: Place the cookies 2 inches away from each other. Bake according to the sugar cookie mix package. Then remove cookies from the oven and let cool.
- Make the Frosting: While cookies are cooling, beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a small bowl. When cookies are ready, ice the cookies once they are fully cooled and add a dusting of strawberry powder on top.
Prep Ahead – Make the Strawberry Crunch Topping
To streamline your baking process, there are some ways you can prep these pink cookies in advance.
- Prepare the Topping Early: Mix the strawberry crunch topping and store it until ready to use.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough can help prevent the strawberry crunch cheesecake cookies from spreading too much.
Alternate Cooking Methods for the Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Alternatively, you can make them into mini cookies or cookie bars.
- Mini Cookies: Use a smaller cookie scoop to create bite-sized cookies.
- Cookie Bars: Press the dough into a baking dish and bake as bars. Top with golden oreo cookie crumbs.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers
- Storing: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.
- Reheating: Strawberry cookies can be warmed briefly in the microwave if desired.
- Using Leftovers: Crumble cookies over ice cream or yogurt for a quick dessert topping. You can even turn them into popular strawberry crunch ice cream bars by adding a scoop of ice cream in the middle.
Common Questions About Strawberry Crunch Cookies
If your cookies spread a bunch, it may be due to too much oil. Next time, be sure to add just enough. You can even chill it before baking to help the dough firm up.
Even crunchy cookies benefit from a short, 20-30 minute chill.
If you find that it doesn’t have as strong of strawberry flavor as you’d like, you can add more freeze dried strawberry powder, or add a strawberry flavored cream cheese frosting.
Expert Tips for Making Strawberry Crunch Cookies
- Crush: Crush the dehydrated strawberries very fine. You want a mix of powder and tiny flakes. If the pieces are too big, they burn or create wet pockets.
- Use Oil: Oil produces crispier, crunchier cookies. Butter cakes a chewier not crunchier cookie.
- Fold in Strawberry at End: After the dough is mixed, add a handful of small strawberry pieces. This gives you those little pops of flavor and texture without turning the dough wet.
- Bake Hotter for Crunch: If your mix calls for 350°F, try 360–375°F. Higher heat = quicker set edges = crunchier texture.
- Add Salt: This cookie can lean sweet. A tiny pinch of salt (⅛ tsp) sharpens the strawberry flavor and keeps the cookie from tasting flat.
- Cookie Trick: Before baking, roll dough balls in a mix of: Crushed dehydrated strawberries and crushed cookies like golden oreos or nilla wafers.
- Serve With: Serve with Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies, Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or a Chocolate Caramel Iced Coffee.
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Strawberry Crunch Cookies
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 Sugar cookie mix, packaged (plus ingredients called for on the package)
- 3 Tablespoons Dehydrated strawberries
Frosting (optional)
- ¼ cup Butter, softened
- 1 cup Powdered icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons Cream, or milk
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Next, line two baking sheets with either parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Follow the directions on the packet of sugar cookie mix to prepare the dough.
- Place the dried strawberries in a blender or food processor and blitz until you have a powdery mix, then place aside in a small bowl.
- Using a cookie scoop, portion out the sugar cookies and then roll them in the bowl of strawberry powder.
- Place the strawberry coated sugar cookies on the prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart from each other.
- Bake the sugar cookies according to the package's instructions.
Frosting
- If the cookies are to be frosted, put all icing ingredients, in a bowl and beat them for 2 minutes. If the consistency of the icing needs to be adjusted, add more sugar or cream, as needed.
- Once you have let the cookies cool, you can use vanilla-flavored frosting and sprinkle with the remainder of the strawberry powder as desired.
Christina’s Notes
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- Parchment Paper: Baking on parchment paper not only helps with even baking, it also possesses a non-stick attribute. Its also great for an easy cleanup!
- Cookie Scoop: Using a cookie scoop to place your dough on the baking sheet ensures all cookies are the same size and baked evenly throughout.
- Crumbl Cookies: You can easily make this recipe into a copycat crumbl strawberry cookie. After baking, add a thick layer of a frosting of your choosing and sprinkle on some extra strawberry crunch topping.
- Golden Oreos: Place the golden oreo in food processor or stand mixer and pulse to place on the treat. With the dehydrated strawberries or strawberry jello mixed together to make the perfect crunch crumble.
- Shapes: Use cookie cutters to make this absolutely delicious dessert even cuter, try heart shapes!
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- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.