Strawberry Sugar Cookies (Gluten Free, Eggless, Easily Vegan)
Soft and chewy pink sugar cookies made with real strawberries. Gluten free, nut free, egg free, and easily vegan. Unlike most gluten free cookies, these stay soft for days!
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Syrup:
- 1¾ cups quartered strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
For the Cookies:
- 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum included)
- 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar (plus 2 tablespoons kept separate for rolling)
- 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk (regular or non-dairy)
- 3.5 tablespoons strained strawberry syrup
- ¼ teaspoon red food coloring (optional, I use McCormick)
Instructions
Make the Strawberry Syrup:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the strawberries and granulated sugar. Stir constantly for about 10 minutes until the strawberries have fully liquified and the sugar has dissolved. Use the back of a spoon to mash the strawberries as you go.
- Set a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the mixture through. Discard seeds and pulp - you only want the liquid. You should have at least 4 tablespoons of strained syrup.
- Let the syrup cool on the counter, then transfer to the fridge while you prepare the cookie dough. It will thicken as it cools.
Make the Cookies:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix 2 rounded tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water using a spoon. Stir until thin and watery. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter and 1¼ cups of granulated sugar with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until soft and creamy.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in the cornstarch water, milk, vanilla extract, and 3.5 tablespoons of the chilled strawberry syrup. Mix until combined. The mixture will look pale pink and slightly chunky.
- Slowly beat in the flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. If using red food coloring, add it now and mix until evenly blended throughout the dough.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2.5 hours. Do not skip this step or the cookies will spread flat.
- When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Do not grease.
- Using a large cookie scoop (2 oz), scoop 12 balls of dough. If the dough sticks to the scoop, rinse the scoop halfway through.
- Roll each dough ball completely in the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
- Place dough balls 3-4 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes. Keep remaining dough balls in the fridge while each batch bakes.
- Immediately after removing from the oven, use a spatula to gently reshape the cookies into circles. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Smaller cookies: Use a small cookie scoop, roll into 1-inch balls, and bake at the same temperature for 13 minutes. Makes approximately 24 cookies.
- Vegan: Use a dairy-free gluten free flour, vegan-certified sugar, vegan baking sticks, non-dairy milk, and vegan-certified red food coloring.
- All-purpose flour: Use 2 packed cups (336g), reduce milk to 2 tablespoons, and use 2.5 tablespoons of strawberry liquid. Still chill the dough.
- Storing: Keep cookies in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezing raw dough: Wrap dough in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 30 days. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using. For frozen dough balls, bake at the same temperature for 17-19 minutes.
- Make ahead: The strawberry syrup can be made the night before. The full dough can also be made a day ahead and stored covered in the fridge.