These Strawberry Lemon Sugar Cookies are the perfect sweet treat for your Valentine this year! They’re flavored with freeze-dried strawberries and fresh lemon zest, making them a delightful balance of sweet and tart.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner — time to bake something special. These Strawberry Lemon Sugar Cookies are perfect for the occasion, with a lovely pink hue and bright flavor from freeze-dried strawberries and fresh lemon zest.
I’ve always loved Valentine’s Day. Little memories like school Valentines make it feel extra sweet, and baking festive cookies is my favorite way to celebrate.
Sweet and Tart Strawberry Lemon Sugar Cookies
The strawberry-lemon pairing is one of my favorites, so I gave classic sugar cookie cutouts a seasonal twist. The result is a crisp, buttery cookie with bright lemon notes and delicate strawberry flavor from powdered freeze-dried berries.
Strawberry Lemon Sugar Cookies Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened freeze-dried strawberries
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh lemon zest
- Vanilla extract
- Egg
- Wilton pink gel food coloring (optional)
The freeze-dried strawberries are processed into a powder to concentrate flavor without adding moisture. If you want a stronger pink color, a small dab of gel food coloring gives a prettier hue without affecting flavor.
I used two heaping teaspoons of freshly grated lemon zest for a noticeable lemon note. If you enjoy strawberry lemonade or bright citrus flavors, these cookies will be right up your alley.
Note the two-hour chilling period for the dough. Chilling firms the dough so cutouts hold a clean shape and the dough is easier to roll and cut.
Make a batch for your Valentine this year — these cookies are charming, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. If you try the recipe, feel free to leave a comment with any questions or feedback. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Strawberry Lemon Sugar Cookies
I used a 3½-inch heart cookie cutter; your cutter size will change the yield. With that size I made about 32–34 cookies.
I bought the 1.2-ounce bag of unsweetened freeze-dried strawberries at Trader Joe’s and used the full bag to make the powder.
If you prefer a deeper pink, add a tiny amount of Wilton Pink gel coloring on a toothpick — just enough to enhance the color without altering flavor.
More Delicious Valentine’s Day Recipes to Enjoy
Key Lime Sandwich Cookies with Raspberry Buttercream
Brown Butter Honey Cardamom Cookies
White Chocolate Raspberry Bars
Strawberry Lemon Sugar Cookies
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1.2 oz. bag unsweetened freeze-dried strawberries
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Wilton Pink gel food coloring, if desired for a richer pink hue
Instructions
-
Add the freeze-dried strawberries to a small food processor and pulse until they form a fine powder. Set aside.
-
In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and the strawberry powder until evenly combined. Set aside.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Add the lemon zest, egg, and vanilla and mix until combined, about one minute.
-
Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Divide the dough into three portions, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
-
Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters.
-
Place cut cookies on the prepared sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly browned. Let cookies firm on the sheet briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
I used a full 1.2-ounce bag of unsweetened freeze-dried strawberries to make the strawberry powder.
If you’d like a deeper pink, add a very small amount of Wilton Pink gel food coloring — a toothpick’s worth is usually enough.