Description
These Cream Cheese Strawberry Cookies combine a soft, tender texture with the fresh flavor of strawberries and the sweetness of white chocolate. Enhanced with cream cheese for extra moisture and a slight tang, these cookies are perfect for spring and summer baking. A hint of lemon juice brightens the strawberries, while optional sanding sugar adds a touch of sparkle on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1–2 tablespoons flour (for coating strawberries)
Wet Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Other Ingredients
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 5 oz white chocolate, chopped
- Sanding sugar (optional for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking pans with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Prepare Strawberries: Pour lemon juice over the chopped strawberries, let them sit for a few minutes to absorb the citrus and help soften, then drain any excess juice.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie. Then add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well to combine completely.
- Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently until just combined to avoid overworking the dough and toughening the cookies.
- Add White Chocolate: Fold in the chopped white chocolate, distributing it evenly throughout the dough for sweet pockets throughout the cookie.
- Coat and Fold in Strawberries: Toss the drained strawberries with 1–2 tablespoons of flour to prevent them from sinking or bleeding too much into the batter, then gently fold them into the dough to maintain their shape.
- Form Cookie Dough: Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking pans, spacing them evenly to allow for spreading.
- Chill Dough: Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes; this helps reduce spreading and maintains cookie shape during baking.
- Add Topping: Optionally, sprinkle the tops of the cookies with sanding sugar for a sparkling finish and slight crunch.
- Bake: Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown, indicating they are fully cooked but still soft inside.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking pans for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely, which helps them set and firms their structure.
Notes
- Using cream cheese in the dough adds moisture and a slight tang, giving a unique flavor difference from classic sugar cookies.
- Coating the strawberries with flour prevents them from releasing too much moisture into the batter, keeping the cookies from becoming soggy.
- For best results, use fresh, ripe strawberries and chop them just before mixing to preserve their texture.
- White chocolate chips or chunks can be substituted depending on preference and availability.
- Sanding sugar is optional but adds visual appeal and a nice textural contrast.
- Do not overmix the dough once dry ingredients are added to ensure tender cookies.
- Chilling the dough before baking helps control spreading and achieves thicker cookies.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: cream cheese cookies, strawberry cookies, white chocolate cookies, soft cookies, summer baking, dessert recipe
