Soft, buttery, and coated in sparkling sugar, these gluten-free strawberry sugar cookies are the kind of treat that feels right at home on a spring dessert table. Made with freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry preserves, they bake up with a delicate blush-pink color and a sweet strawberry flavor that tastes fresh and natural.

The texture is what makes them especially hard to resist. Each cookie has lightly crisp edges, a soft and chewy center, and a buttery crumb that practically melts in your mouth. A touch of almond extract enhances the strawberry flavor, while a quick roll in sugar gives the cookies their signature crackly exterior.

Whether you’re baking for a spring gathering, Valentine’s Day, a baby shower, or simply because you’re craving something sweet, these strawberry sugar cookies are a simple recipe that always feels a little special.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Soft and chewy texture
These cookies have soft centers, lightly crisp edges, and a buttery texture that stays soft for days.

Real strawberry flavor
Freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry preserves create a fresh strawberry flavor without relying on artificial flavoring. 

Beautiful naturally pink color
The strawberries give these cookies a soft blush color that feels perfect for spring and summer baking.

Easy to make
No complicated steps or special techniques are required—just a simple cookie dough and a quick chill before baking.

Perfect for any occasion
These strawberry sugar cookies feel equally at home for Valentine’s Day, baby showers, spring brunches, summer gatherings, or everyday baking.

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Ingredient Notes

Gluten-free 1:1 flour
Use a high-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend that contains xanthan gum for the best texture. I recommend weighing the flour with a kitchen scale for the most accurate results.

Freeze-dried strawberries
Freeze-dried strawberries provide concentrated strawberry flavor without adding excess moisture to the dough. Pulse them into a mostly fine powder with a few small strawberry flecks remaining for the best texture. 

Cornstarch
A small amount of cornstarch helps create a softer, more tender cookie texture.

Unsalted butter
Use softened butter so it creams properly with the sugar and creates a light, fluffy dough.

Strawberry preserves
I recommend using Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves for the best flavor, texture, and color. Strawberry preserves add moisture and help create a softer cookie with a more pronounced strawberry flavor. Avoid preserves with large fruit chunks, which can make the dough harder to mix evenly.

Almond extract
A small amount of almond extract enhances the strawberry flavor without overpowering it. If preferred, you can replace it with additional vanilla extract.

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How to Make Strawberry Sugar Cookies

See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list, measurements, and instructions.

Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients
Whisk together the gluten-free flour, freeze-dried strawberry powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

Step 3: Add the eggs and extracts
Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until smooth and fully incorporated.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until a dough begins to form.

Step 5: Mix in the strawberry preserves
Add the strawberry preserves and mix on low just until the preserves are evenly incorporated and no flour streaks remain.

Step 6: Chill and scoop the dough
Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. When ready to bake, scoop the dough and roll each portion in sugar. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet spaced two inches apart.

Step 7: Bake the cookies
Bake the cookies for 10–13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Recipe Tips

Measure the flour carefully
For the most accurate results, weigh the flour with a kitchen scale. Too much flour can make the cookies thicker, drier, and less soft.

Don’t over-process the freeze-dried strawberries
Pulse the strawberries until they form a mostly fine powder with a few small flecks remaining. A little texture is perfectly fine and adds more visible strawberry flavor throughout the cookies. 

Chill the dough before baking
The dough will be soft after mixing. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and prevents excess spreading in the oven. 

Bake just until the centers look slightly underdone
The cookies may look slightly soft in the center when you remove them from the oven, but they will continue to set as they cool. Overbaking can make them lose their soft, chewy texture. 

Swirl the cookies for bakery-style perfection
Swirling the cookies with a large round cookie cutter right after they come out of the oven helps create evenly shaped bakery-style cookies. 

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Storage & Freezing  

Room temperature storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days.

To freeze baked cookies
Allow the cookies to cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature before serving.

To freeze cookie dough
Scoop the dough into portions and place them on a baking sheet until firm. Transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake directly from frozen, adding an additional 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use strawberry jam instead of strawberry preserves?
Strawberry preserves are recommended because they provide the best flavor and texture. Jam can work in a pinch, but preserves tend to have a fresher strawberry flavor and slightly softer texture.

Can I skip the almond extract?
Yes. The almond extract lightly enhances the strawberry flavor, but you can replace it with additional vanilla extract if preferred.

Why did my cookies spread too much?
This can happen if the dough wasn’t chilled long enough or if the butter was too soft. Measuring the flour accurately can also help prevent excess spreading.

Why did my cookies turn out thick?
Too much flour is often the culprit. I recommend weighing the flour with a kitchen scale for the most accurate results.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24–48 hours before baking. The dough will be quite firm so just let it sit at room temperature to soften slightly before scooping.

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Photography by Creating Kaitlin

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