Strawberry Lemonade Cookies 

These Strawberry Lemonade Cookies bring together sunshine in every bite—combining a soft, thick lemon sugar cookie base with a swirl or topping of bright, tangy strawberry flavor. They’re perfect for summer gatherings, offering refreshing zest and fruity sweetness in a delightful, chewy cookie. Thoughtfully balanced and visually pretty, they taste like a chilled glass of strawberry lemonade transformed into a cookie.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Sugar Cookies

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
  
  

• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  
  

• Zest of 1 lemon
  
  

• 3 Tbsp (42 g) vegetable or canola oil
  
  

• 1 large egg + 1 large yolk, at room temperature
  
  

• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  
  

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  

• 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
  
  

• 1 Tbsp (10 g) cornstarch
  
  

• ½ tsp baking powder
  
  

• ¼ tsp baking soda
  
  

• ¼ tsp salt 

For the Strawberry Buttercream

• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
  
  

• Approximately 2 Tbsp finely ground freeze‑dried strawberries
  
  

• 2–3 cups powdered sugar (adjust for consistency)
  
  

• 2–3 Tbsp heavy cream or milk
  
  

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  

• Pinch of salt
  
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
   

2. In a bowl, rub sugar and lemon zest together until fragrant; stir in melted butter, oil, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla until combined.
   
   

3. Add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix until dough forms.
   
   

4. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
   
   

5. Portion dough using a 3‑Tbsp cookie scoop, place on prepared sheets spaced ~2″ apart, and gently flatten each cookie.
   
   

6. Bake for 12–13 minutes, until edges are set and the cookies are slightly golden. Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
   
   

7. Meanwhile, make frosting: cream butter until smooth, then gradually beat in powdered sugar, crème, vanilla, salt, and ground strawberries until light and fluffy.
   
   

8. Once cookies are cooled, pipe or spread a generous layer of strawberry buttercream on each. Finish with a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberry pieces or lemon zest if desired.
   
   

Nutrients

• Calories: ~260 kcal (cookie + frosting)
  
  

• Carbohydrates: ~35 g
  
  

• Fat: ~13 g
  
  

• Protein: ~2 g
  
  

• Sugar: ~20–25 g
  
  

• Fiber: ~1 g