Strawberry Sugar Cookies (Print Version)

Ingredients:

01 - 3 cups freeze-dried strawberries, blended into powder.
02 - 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, room temperature.
03 - 1 cup granulated sugar.
04 - 1 large egg.
05 - 2 tsp vanilla extract.
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour.
07 - 1 tsp baking soda.
08 - 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
09 - 1/3 cup high-quality strawberry jam.
10 - 2 oz cream cheese, softened.
11 - 2 cups powdered sugar.
12 - 1/4 cup hot milk.
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Blend freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder using a blender or food processor.
03 - In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in the egg until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add flour, baking soda, a portion of the strawberry powder (reserving some for the icing), and salt, mixing until combined.
06 - Fold in the strawberry jam until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Roll dough into small balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
08 - Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and lightly tap the sheet to flatten the cookies.
09 - Return to the oven and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes until the edges are slightly crispy.
10 - While the cookies cool, prepare the icing: blend cream cheese, powdered sugar, hot milk, vanilla extract, and the remaining strawberry powder until smooth.
11 - Adjust icing consistency with more milk if needed.
12 - Once the cookies are completely cooled, dip or drizzle the icing over the cookies. Let the icing set before serving.

Notes:

01 - Use high-quality strawberry jam for the best flavor.
02 - Store cookies in an airtight container to retain freshness.
03 - The icing can be made thinner or thicker depending on your preference by adjusting the amount of milk.