Pretty pink and intensely fruity Strawberry Cookies. Cut into hearts and dipped in white chocolate, they make the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, etc. Gluten free, egg free, nut free, soy free, optional dairy free and optional vegan. Can also be made with wheat flour.
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DON’T LOSE THIS RECIPE! PIN IT FOR LATER…
Strawberry Cookies – A recipe updated
These Strawberry Cookies have been on the blog for years. Originally posted back in 2014, they have always been a favourite of mine, mainly because they look so perfectly pink and pretty and taste so fruity. But they have also always niggled… something about the texture was not quite right.
Six years on and I have learnt much about gluten free baking and so the time seemed right for a revamp. To make the changes needed, the ingredients have been updated and tweaked. All good… I promise!
They are still the beautiful pink cookies they always were, full of natural strawberry goodness and with a crisp snap that Mary Berry would be proud of. But the flours, butter and sugar have been rebalanced so that the texture is less ‘drying’.
What gluten free flour blend is best for baking these strawberry biscuits?
Having done some playing around with the recipe, I have re-worked and simplified the ingredients so that the cookies can be made with a standard white flour blend. Specifically, I re-developed the recipe using my own basic mix – Gluten Free Alchemist Blend A. Of course, there is no reason why a commercially-available flour blend wouldn’t work just as well, although the texture may vary dependent on the flours in the mix.
Equally, if you are not gluten free, then the recipe should also work with plain white wheat flour. You may need to alter the milk content slightly, so add very carefully a little at a time and really work into the dough, until happy with the consistency. Just bear in mind that (for obvious reason), the wheat version has not been tested at GFHQ, so if you do give it a go, let me know how it worked.
I would totally avoid wholegrain mixes for this recipe (such as Gluten Free Alchemist Blend B or Free From Fairy Flour) because they are significantly darker in colour. It’s not that they wouldn’t taste good, but the darker flours will affect the hue of the cookies (which is part of their appeal).
Do these Strawberry Cookies contain real strawberry?
Oh yes. Lots of it! Indeed, it is real strawberry that makes these cookies Pink Cookies. And it’s not just the colour that sings strawberry either. They also taste very very fruity.
But we all know that strawberries are juicy and juicy means wet right? So how on earth can you make crunchy, crisp cookies with them? Well… I’ve used one of my very favourite fruit ingredients… freeze dried fruit powder!
I love freeze dried fruit powder. It’s totally natural (there’s nothing else added) and the freeze-drying process concentrates the flavour as well as preserving the colour. And because the resulting fruit has had the moisture removed, it is also perfect for making strawberry cookies. That means you get perfect cookie texture with an intensity of flavour that will have your taste-buds thinking they’ve just been dropped into a strawberry field.
Where can I buy freeze-dried strawberries and strawberry powder?
Freeze dried fruit has become more available in supermarkets, both in the baking aisles and on the dried fruit shelves. However, because it is seen primarily as decoration or a snack, it tends to come in very small (and rather expensive) quantities. As it is such an amazing baking ingredient however, it’s worth seeking out a better source on-line. You quite simply get a bigger choice and better value for money. The best places I’ve found to get it are Buy Wholefoods On-Line and Healthy Supplies.
If you are worried that it will go to waste if you buy too much, you can get lots of inspiration from the many recipes on Gluten Free Alchemist which harness its depth of flavour and colour. Check out the links below.
If you buy freeze-dried fruit which is whole or in pieces, just grind into powder at home (using a blender or grinder) to use in baking.
Are these Strawberry cookies ‘Free From’?
As with all the recipes on Gluten Free Alchemist, my Strawberry Cookies are gluten free. But they are also egg-free, soy-free, nut free, optional dairy free and optional vegan.
Having said this, if you are not gluten free, these biscuits can also be made with wheat flour.
Why these pink cookies are perfect for Valentine’s…
Pink and Red are colours associated with Valentine’s Day – pink apparently symbolising love and care and red symbolising passion. So naturally pink heart-shaped strawberry cookies make the perfect Valentines treat or foodie gift…
I’ll be honest… I find the whole Valentine’s thing a bit of a commercial rip off. But as I love anything heart-shaped, it is always a good excuse to make a load of pretty things.
Interestingly though (and despite the hype), Valentine’s day is not a modern entity and has a somewhat tangled history. Its roots actually lie in the Christian Church, linked to stories about the martyrdom of one or more early Christian saints named Valentinus. In particular, one (a young priest in third century Rome) was executed for marrying young couples secretly during a time when marriage was banned by Emperor Claudius.
It was not until the Middle Ages however, that Valentine’s day started to become significantly associated with more modern notions of symbolically declaring romantic love. For it was at this time, that young lovers started to give each other flowers, confectionary and greetings cards. These days, according to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated 1 billion cards are sent each year, which seems like a winner if you’re in the card trade. Heaven only knows how much money is spent on flowers and other gifts…
Don’t worry Mr GF… I’m not holding my breath!
Make These STrawberry Cookies…
But whether you make these beauties for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, to celebrate an anniversary or birthday, for a bake sale, or just because they’re yummy, make sure you let me know about it. I love to hear what you’ve been baking. Leave a comment or tag me on social media… (Facebook; Instagram; Pinterest; Twitter).
Other Recipes on Gluten Free Alchemist Using Freeze-Dried Fruit…
- Cherry-Chocolate Battenberg Cake
- Raspberry-Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Apple Pie Granola
- Raspberry White Chocolate Macaron
- Pistachio, Lime & Olive Oil Cake with Blackcurrant Drizzle
- Raspberry & Lemon Drizzle Bundt Cake
- Quinoa Rainbow Breakfast Bowl
- Blackcurrant & Dark Chocolate Macaron
- Chewy Toffee-Apple Cookies
- Raw Fudge with Chocolate & Raspberry
- Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake with Strawberry & Almond Sponge
- Decadent Fudgy Chocolate-Berry Birthday Cake
- Blackcurrant Flower Biscuits
- Instant Fruit & Nut Porridge Pots
Strawberry Cookies dipped in White Chocolate
Key equipment
- fridge
- baking sheets
- cookie cutter(s)
- Oven
- microwave/heatproof bowl and saucepan (for dipped chocolate)
Ingredients
- 200 g white plain gluten free flour blend eg. Gluten Free Alchemist Blend A see NOTES
- 120 g unsalted butter or dairy free alternative block cold and cubed
- 100 g white caster sugar
- 20 g freeze-dried strawberry powder
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tbsp milk either dairy or dairy free
White Chocolate Dip & Decoration
- 150 g white chocolate or dairy free alternative
- sprinkles of choice to decorate
Instructions
- Weigh the flour and cubed butter/DF alternative into a large bowl.
- Rub the butter/DF alternative into the flour with your finger tips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add and stir in the sugars and strawberry powder.
- Add the vanilla extract and milk (a little at a time) and using the back of a silicone/wooden mixing spoon, gradually bring the ingredients together to form a firm dough. Really work the moisture into the dough. Note : You may not need all of the milk, dependent on flour blend.
- Wrap the dough in a piece of baking paper or clingfilm and chill for about 20 minutes.
- While the dough is chilling, prepare a couple of large baking sheets by lining with baking paper.
- Remove the dough from the fridge.
- To prevent sticking, roll the dough on a sheet of baking paper sprinkled sparsely with cornflour (starch). Roll out to a thickness of about ½ cm and cut using cookie cutter(s).
- Place the cut cookie shapes onto the prepared baking trays and re-work the remaining dough, rolling and cutting until all the dough is used.
- Chill the cookies in the fridge on the baking trays for 15 minutes before baking. While they are chilling, preheat the oven to 170 C/325 F/Gas 3.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the edges of the cookies are just beginning to darken. Be very careful not to over-cook and check frequently during the cooking process, swapping and turning the trays around in the oven to ensure an even bake.
- When cooked, turn off the oven and open the oven door for a few minutes to allow to cool a little. Leave the biscuits in the oven to dry out a little more as the oven cools.
Chocolate Decoration
- To make the chocolate coating, melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl either stirring over a gently simmering pan of water or in the microwave (on 30 second bursts, medium setting, stirring between each).
- Once melted, half dip each biscuit in the chocolate and carefully place on a clean sheet of baking paper to allow to cool and set at room temperature. While the chocolate is still wet, add your favourite sprinkles to decorate.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2023 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Click for other Cookies & Biscuits on Gluten Free Alchemist. And for everything else, explore our Gluten Free Recipe Book.
Strawberry Cookies Shared With :
- Cook Blog Share with Lost in Food
- Fiesta Friday #314 with Angie and Spades Spoons & Spatulas
- Make it Pretty Monday #327 with The Dedicated House
- What’s for Dinner #239 with The Lazy Gastronome
- Meatless Monday with Confessions of a Mother Runner and A Whisk & Two Wands
- The Great Cookie Exchange with The Lazy Gastronome
This post was originally published on 30th January 2014 and updated on 11th February 2020
Such pretty looking cookies, lovely decorated and would make such a lovely foodie gift. Thanks for sharing with #cookblogshare. Michelle
Thanks Michelle. You’re welcome x
Absolutely beautiful cookies – pinned these winners! Thanks for sharing at the What’s for Dinner Party!! Have a great weekend.
Thanks Helen. You’re so welcome x
These heart-shaped cookies with strawberry and white chocolate would be fantastic anytime – but particularly today!
Thank You Rosemary x
It is great to revisit old recipes and celebrate how much you have learnt! And you seems to have accrued much expertise in GF with all your experiments so I am not surprised you could update a favourite recipe. I am putting it aside for next time I need a GF bake! Not valentines day but you never know when! I struggle to get the snap in crisp cookies so hope these might deliver!
Thank you Johanna
I feel like my knowledge of GF baking has grown so much over the years. I think I wouldn’t know where to start if I was given a bag of wheat flour now.
These biscuits deliver a great snap though.. so all good! x
Wow these are so pretty! I love the freeze dried strawberries in there to bring out the colors. Perfect for valentine’s day or any day. Thanks for linking up for meatless Monday. Hope you will check out some of the other posts as well
Thanks Deborah. You’re welcome I love using freeze-dried fruit. The colours and flavours are so intense. If you have never used them, I would absolutely recommend x
These look so pretty perfect for valentines day but I’m sure I would love them any day
Thanks Jacqui. We definitely love them any day…. we just change the shape! x
So pretty and I absolutely LOVE that you used strawberries to naturally color the cookies pink! I love using natural dies and pitaya is one of our favorites for adding bright pink color but I bet the simple sweet strawberry you used takes the flavor of these cookies to the next level!
Thank you Sarah. I love freeze dried fruit for the intensity it brings. It is the easiest way to get that fruit flavour and colour into bakes for sure. And yes… definitely takes it to another level.
I don’t think I have ever heard of pitaya being used as a natural colour. I’ll have to keep an eye open for it x
These are so pretty! I really need to get some freeze dried fruit powder to try as I make cookies with freeze dried pieces but I love the colour the powder has given these!
Thank you Corina and yes, you must try it. I tend to buy the larger pieces anyway and then just grind them for baking. That way I get a choice about how I use them. x
These look gorgeous! Perfect for Valentine’sDay.
Thank you Veronica x
What a brilliant way to get colour into a bake and flavour too. These look absolutely fabulous.
Thanks Choclette. I absolutely LOVE using freeze-dried strawberries and other berries. They are so natural, intense and fresh and they always bring the most beautiful colour to food.
Thanks Aimee. They were definitely delicious…. I have made them before without the chocolate, but the chocolate made them so much more special!
I love these!!! They are sooooo adorable Kate! And sound incredibly delicious too, can't go wrong with white chocolate & strawberry 🙂
Oh these are so pretty and I adore strawberries as much as I adore chocolate! Thank you for sharing them with the Biscuit Barrel challenge =)
Thanks Laura. I love strawberries too, and these have a lovely intense flavour. Recipes like this are made for sharing!
Wow they are so beautiful, both in colour and decoration. You really have an eye for presentation. Where do you buy your freeze dried fruits and powders from? The only ones I've seen are incredibly expensive
Thank you Katie. I get my freeze dried fruit from Healthy Supplies. Here's the site : http://www.healthysupplies.co.uk/freeze-dried-fruit.html
They are a lot cheaper compared with the tiddly packs you get in the supermarket and they go a long way!
Thanks Kat. They do don't they? And the flavour is just as strawberry pink!
I love these! They are so pretty!