Strawberry Shortcake Cookies.

I have a problem. 

I kind of love strawberries.

In a normal day, I will consume: a big cup of Dunkin Donuts strawberry shortcake coffee, wild strawberry-flavored water, a small bowl of fresh strawberries, sometimes frozen, because I'm weird, sometimes with strawberry yogurt, cuz that just seems more healthy, more strawberries snuck throughout the day when no one's looking because I'm convinced I'm starving, & sometimes, if my own wiggling isn't enough, strawberry Jello.

So it was only a matter of time really before strawberries found their way into my cookies too. 

I immediately fell in love with the idea of these and was so, so excited to try them. What could be more perfect than a strawberry shortcake cookie? 

I mean, unless, somewhere in the world, a strawberry shortcake cheesecake exists. Because we all know how I feel about cheesecake.

These bitesize cookies reminded me more of a strawberry muffin top or miniature scone: tender and soft and cakey on the inside & slightly crisp and golden brown on the outside. They were everything I love about shortcake, light, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth, and bursting with springtime flavor (and strawberries!). You can even see the flecks of lemon zest in them. 

They're best eaten the day that they're made... or for breakfast the next.

Especially with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream sandwiched between two fluffy cookies. 

Or crumbled warm over ice cream. 

Or covered in whipped cream. 

I love spring.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Printable Recipe

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (2 cups)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling over the cookies

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together the strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and remaining sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until moist and fragrant.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the zest/sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until you have coarse crumbs. Add the cream to the bowl and stir until the dough starts to come together, then gently fold in the strawberry mixture.

Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cookies cool. The cookies are best the day they're made, but can be kept in an airtight container for 1 day.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Source: From Pink Parsley Catering.