Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

5 from 1 vote

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies

These Strawberry Shortbread Cookies are buttery and sweet with a crumbly texture. They're rolled in granulated sugar prior to baking and are then topped with a delicious strawberry glaze and chocolate drizzle! These frosted shortbread cookies are gorgeous and only require 30 minutes of chill time! They're the perfect sweet treat for all you strawberry lovers! If that wasn't enough, they're gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be vegan!

Prep Time40

Cook Time12

Chill Time30

Total Time1 22

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan

Servings: small cookies

Calories: 171kcal

Author: Lee

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Syrup

1 ¾ cups sliced strawberries , frozen
¾ cup granulated sugar

For the Strawberry Shortbread

2.5 cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
¾ cup confectioners' sugar (¼ cup for dry ingredients and ½ cup mixed with the butter)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
3 tablespoons strawberry syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon liquid red food coloring
3 tablespoons granulated sugar for rolling

For the Strawberry Glaze

2.5 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons strawberry syrup
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons water , room temperature

For the Chocolate Drizzle

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons semi sweet chocolate chips

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Strawberry Syrup

In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the 1 ¾ cups sliced strawberries and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Stir constantly for about 5-8 minutes until the strawberries have liquified and the sugar has dissolved. Use the back of your spoon to mash the strawberries apart.
Set a strainer or a mesh colander over a bowl and strain the strawberry liquid. You don’t want any of the seeds, you just want the liquid. You should have at least 6 tablespoons of liquid.
If you have more liquid that's ok...it just means you could have cooked it longer.
Transfer the strawberry syrup to a heat safe bowl and set on the counter to cool. Once cool, transfer to the fridge as you are making the dough.
It will thicken as it cools.

For the Strawberry Shortbread

In a large bowl, whisk together the 2.5 cups gluten free flour, ¼ cup confectioners' sugar and the ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup of butter or vegan baking stick until it is soft and creamy.
Add in ½ cup confectioners' sugar and beat together until creamy. About 2 minutes.
Slowly beat 3 tablespoons of strawberry syrup and the 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar. It may look separated at first. Mix on low speed until it starts to combine and then increase to whip it into a creamy consistency.
Slowly beat in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until the dough is dry and crumbly. Once crumbly, add in the ¼ teaspoon red food coloring if desired.
Increase the speed and beat until the dough comes together and the red is mixed throughout. As soon as the dough comes together, turn the mixer off.
Form dough into a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Once the dough is done chilling, break off a 1 inch piece of dough. Work it back and forth in your hands until smooth. Then roll into a 1 inch ball. This recipe should make 32 balls.
If you chilled more than 30 minutes, you may need to let the dough sit out a bit so you can work it in your hands into smooth balls.
Roll each dough ball in the 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and coat completely.
Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. I bake no more than 16 at a time. Put the rest of the dough back in the fridge and bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes.
Once out of the oven, let the cookies sit for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack with parchment paper or wax paper underneath. (The next part makes a bit of a mess).

For the Strawberry Glaze

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2.5 cups of confectioners' sugar and 3 tablespoons of strawberry syrup. Slowly add in the 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of water until combined and smooth.
You may not need to use all the water.
Dip the top rounded half of each cookie into the strawberry glaze. Gently wipe the side of the cookie on the side of the bowl if there is an icing drip and then place the cookies onto the cooling rack.
Pop in the fridge while making the chocolate drizzle.

For the Chocolate Drizzle

Place ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter together in a heat safe bowl. Microwave them together in 10-15 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chocolate chips and butter are fully melted and incorporated. This will take a few min.
Take cookies out of the fridge. Hold your hand about 6 inches above the cookies and move your arm side to side while drizzling the chocolate on top of the cookies to create a horizontal pattern.
Then get more glaze and move your arm from top to bottom to create a vertical pattern.

Video

Notes

Vegan: Use a dairy-free gluten free flour, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks, vegan food coloring and vegan chocolate chips.

All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 2.5 packed cups of regular flour (420 grams). Still chill the dough.

Storing: Once the glaze and drizzle have hardened, store the cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. Bring the cookies to room temperature prior to eating otherwise they will be hard.

Freezing: You can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Or you can shape the dough balls without the granulated sugar and freeze them for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using and let come to almost room temperature prior to rolling in granulated sugar and baking.

You can also freeze the finished cookies for up to 30 days. Let come to room temperature on the counter prior to eating.

Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Nutrition