Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies

If you read many blogs, I'm sure you have already seen these strawberry-shortcake cookies. I remember seeing them on Beantown Baker; Sweetly Serendipity; Fun and Fearless in Beantown; and Travel, Wine, and Dine! Recently, Emily from A Cambridge Story gave them a makeover by adding some oatmeal and Greek yogurt to them. I knew that if so many of my favorite bloggers were making these cookies, they had to be good.

So on a Friday evening when I found myself with a pound of strawberries and a dinner to go to, I whipped up a batch of these cookies to bring along. They taste like strawberry shortcake but are less fussy and take less time to throw together. Not to mention that they're much more portable than strawberry shortcake.

Heading to a barbecue this weekend and don't want to show up empty-handed? These are the cookies to make.

Strawberry-Shortcake Cookies (adapted from MarthaStewart.com)

Ingredients

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpat mats.

Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bowl or measuring cup, and set aside.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl.

Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, or rub it in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in the cream, and then stir in the strawberry mixture. The strawberry juices will help the dough come together.

Using a medium cookie scoop, drop scoops of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart.

Sprinkle with sanding sugar, and bake one sheet at a time, turning halfway through, until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer each pan to a wire rack, and let cool about 5 minutes before transferring cookies directly onto rack. Then let cookies cool completely or serve warm.

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

Are you going to any barbecues or parties today or tomorrow? What are you bringing?