Soft & Gooey Strawberry Sugar Cookies
30 min
|
easy
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
These soft, gooey strawberry sugar cookies are a no-fuss, all-flavor move: cake mix shortcut, buttery chew, sparkly sugar crust, and a juicy berry pop if you add the strawberry extract.
Perfect for Valentine’s Day, bake sales, baby showers, or a late-night sweet tooth, the one-bowl, no-chill dough gets you warm, pink bakery-style cookies fast, because I do not serve dry cookies.
Ingredients (20 servings)
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Ingredients:
- 1 box (15.25 oz) strawberry cake mix strawberry cake mix 1 box (15.25 oz)
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.09 lb
- 2 large eggs large eggs 2 ct
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted unsalted butter 4 oz
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- ½ tsp strawberry extract (optional, for extra strawberry flavor) strawberry extract 0.08 fl oz
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (for rolling) granulated sugar
How to Make Soft & Gooey Strawberry Sugar Cookies
-
Preheat and prep pans
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two light-colored sheet pans with parchment paper.
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Whisk dry ingredients
In a large bowl whisk the strawberry cake mix and all-purpose flour until fully combined and lump free.
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Mix the wet
Whisk eggs, vanilla, and strawberry extract in a separate bowl, then whisk in the melted butter once it has cooled until just warm to the touch.
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Combine without overmixing
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry with a spatula until no dry streaks remain and the dough looks thick and glossy.
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Chill briefly
Cover and chill the bowl in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes so the dough firms up for neater scooping and less spread.
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Portion and sugar-coat
Scoop 1.5 tablespoon portions (about 30 g), roll into balls, then roll each ball generously in granulated sugar to coat.
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Bake to soft set
Arrange 2 inches apart and bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges look set and matte while centers are slightly puffy and glossy.
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Cool and finish
Let cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to a rack to cool until just warm and soft.
Substitutions
- No strawberry extract -> crushed freeze-dried strawberries
- Swap the 1/2 tsp strawberry extract for 1/4 cup very finely crushed freeze-dried strawberries and reduce the added flour by 1 tablespoon for balance, which boosts real berry flavor and a natural rosy color with a slightly chewier crumb.
- Unsalted butter -> neutral oil + pinch of salt
- Use 7 tablespoons neutral oil plus a small pinch of salt instead of 1/2 cup melted butter, which yields a shinier surface and chewier texture with a little less buttery richness while keeping the cookies ultra soft.
- Standard ingredients -> gluten-free swap
- Use a gluten-free strawberry cake mix and replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend, which preserves the tender, gooey middle with only a slightly more delicate edge.
Tips
- Cool the butter
- If the butter is hot it can scramble the eggs and make greasy edges, so let it cool for 10 minutes before mixing.
- Weigh your scoops
- Portion at about 30 g each for even baking and identical thickness across the batch.
- Chill for crinkles
- That short chill firms the fat so the tops crackle prettily while the centers stay gooey.
- Use light-colored pans
- Dark pans brown the bottoms too fast, so stick to light aluminum with parchment for soft, pink cookies not toast shades.
- Pull them early
- Take trays out when edges set but centers still look slightly glossy since carryover heat finishes the bake without drying them out.
- Double-roll in sugar
- Roll once before baking and lightly again right after the 5 minute pan rest for a sparkly, crackly crust.
- Round the cookies
- If any spread unevenly, corral while hot with a wide round cutter to nudge them into perfect circles.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 62 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 1 | g |
| Total Fat | 4 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 5 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why did my cookies spread too much?
- The dough was too warm, the butter was hot, or the oven was under-temp, so chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes, cool the butter before mixing, and verify 350 F with an oven thermometer.
- The dough is sticky and hard to scoop, what now?
- Chill the bowl for 10 more minutes and lightly oil your scoop or hands so the dough releases cleanly without packing in extra flour.
- How do I keep them soft the next day?
- Store in an airtight glass container with a small piece of bread or a marshmallow, and rewarm a cookie for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave to bring back the gooey center.
- Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies?
- Yes, freeze portioned sugar-rolled dough balls on a sheet until firm, then bag for up to 2 months and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes, or freeze baked cookies and thaw at room temp.
- Can I skip the extra flour?
- You can, but the cookies bake thinner and spreadier with a slightly artificial cake-mix finish, while the added flour balances sweetness and gives a soft, plush chew.
- How can I intensify the strawberry flavor without food coloring?
- Add finely crushed freeze-dried strawberries to the dry mix and a pinch of citric acid or fresh lemon zest to sharpen the berry notes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these warm with a quick white chocolate drizzle and lemon zest for a strawberry cream vibe that hits sweet, bright, and silky all at once.
If you want full New York bakery energy, sandwich two cookies around vanilla ice cream and roll the edges in crushed freeze-dried strawberries for crunch and a bigger berry punch.
More pairings:
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