Strawberry Lemonade Cookies (Print Page)
Soft, chewy strawberry cookies with bright lemon zest and a sweet-tart lemonade glaze - a summery, crowd-pleasing treat.
# What You Need:
→ Cookies
01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup diced fresh strawberries
→ Lemonade Glaze
12 - 1 cup powdered sugar
13 - 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
14 - 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
15 - 2 to 3 teaspoons crushed freeze-dried strawberries (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla extract until evenly blended.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just incorporated.
06 - Gently fold diced fresh strawberries into the dough using a spatula.
07 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing each portion approximately 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cookie edges are lightly golden.
09 - Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and freeze-dried strawberries (if using) until smooth and pourable.
11 - Drizzle the lemonade glaze over fully cooled cookies. Let glaze set completely before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- They taste like sunshine in every bite and brighten up even a rainy day.
- The glaze is so zippy and fresh, you'll want to drizzle it on everything.
02 -
- Once I rushed and glazed the cookies while they were still warm—the glaze melted off in seconds and pooled beneath them.
- Switching to freeze-dried strawberries for the glaze honestly made the berry flavor pop way more than expected.
03 -
- Lemon zest is strongest when fresh, so zest right before using.
- Let the glaze sit for a few minutes—it thickens up and coats beautifully.