Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
These Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake Cookies are the perfect summer cookie. They're soft in the center, lightly golden at the edges, and layered with real strawberry flavor in every bite. Think pockets of strawberry jam, creamy white chocolate, and pops of fresh strawberry, all finished with that buttery shortcake crumble on top for that perfect texture and crunch.
Equipment
- Microwave-safe bowl - to melt the white chocolate.
- Whisk - to mix the white chocolate.
- Cutting board and knife- - to chop the fresh strawberries.
- Large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl - for mixing your cookie dough.
- Electric mixer (stand or hand-held) - for combining dough.
- Digital kitchen scale (optional) - for weighing ingredients and dough out. I linked the scale I use here.
- Spatula - for scraping down bowl.
- Parchment paper or silicone mats - to line cookie sheet for melted chocolate and baking the cookies.
- Baking sheets - to spread white chocolate and to bake cookies.
- 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop - for shaping large cookies linked here.
- Large circular cookie cutter (optional) - for perfectly shaped cookies. I use this set linked here. You can also use a small bowl for this.
- Wire cooling rack - for allowing cookies to rest properly.
Ingredients
White Chocolate Pieces:
- 1 (175g) cup white chocolate chips
- 1-2 tsp coconut oil optional
Wet Ingredients:
- ¾ (170g) cup unsalted butter softened
- 1½ (300g) cups granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- ½ (120g) cup sourdough discard
- 2 (8g) tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 3¾ (470g) cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cornstarch optional but recommended
Shortcake Crumble:
- 1/4 (65g) cup unsalted butter melted
- ½ (60g) cup all-purpose flour
- ½ (100g) cup granulated white sugar
Inclusions:
- ½ (75g) cup fresh strawberries finely diced
- ½ (120g) cup strawberry jam
- 1 (175g) cup white chocolate pieces or chips
Instructions
Step 1: Melt the White Chocolate
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips until smooth. I only do short 20 second bursts, because white chocolate can easy burn and clump. Add the coconut oil to help thin the white chocolate, and whisk until smooth.1 (175g) cup white chocolate chips, 1-2 tsp coconut oil
- Pour the melted white chocolate onto a lined baking sheet (parchment or a silicone mat). Spread the white chocolate until it's quite thin, about 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator to harden the chocolate while you make the cookie dough (don't freeze it will make condensation on the chocolate).
- Once the chocolate has completely hardened, chop or break it into the desired size shards to add to the cookie dough. Set aside.
Step 2: Prepare the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter and granulated white sugar. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium speed, cream together for approximately 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. It'll be a bit crumbly, that's okay!¾ (170g) cup unsalted butter, 1½ (300g) cups granulated white sugar
- Add the egg, egg yolk, sourdough discard, and the vanilla extract to the bowl. Continue to mix on medium speed for another 2 minutes, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix everything at the bottom. This insures all your cookies come out evenly.1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, ½ (120g) cup sourdough discard, 2 (8g) tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch to the wet ingredients and mix very gently until the dry ingredients are just combined.3¾ (470g) cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp cornstarch
- Rinse and dry your fresh strawberries, and chop into small chunks.½ (75g) cup fresh strawberries
- Add the fresh strawberries and the chopped white chocolate to the cookie dough, then drop the strawberry jam in small spoonfuls all over the dough.½ (120g) cup strawberry jam, 1 (175g) cup white chocolate pieces or chips
- Gently fold all of the inclusions into the cookie dough or pulse them in using your mixer. Be careful not to overmix the inclusions at this stage, you want to leave pockets of jam through the dough.
Step 3: Chill the Dough
- Using a 2-ounce (approximately 2 tablespoons) cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into 18 even cookie dough mounds. Place the scooped dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and cover loosely with plastic. Refrigerate the dough a minimum of 4 hours.
- This dough has a lot of moisture due to the strawberries and jam, so don't skip this chill time! It's critical for the correct texture.
- Optional Long Fermentation: for optimal fermentation and to allow the sourdough starter to ferment the cookie batter, allow the cookie dough to rest in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours.
Step 4: Prepare the Shortbread Crumble
- Melt the butter for the crumble in a microwave safe bowl. Add the sugar and flour, and mix with a fork until you get a crumbly clumpy mixture.1/4 (65g) cup unsalted butter, ½ (60g) cup all-purpose flour, ½ (100g) cup granulated white sugar
Step 5: Bake the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper (or my preference) silicone mats. I use these silicone mats for the perfect spread on my cookies.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets in 2 rows of 3 (6 each pan), giving them ample room to spread as they bake.
- Bake the cookies for ten minutes using the 2 center racks, then remove and top with the shortbread crumble and more chopped fresh strawberries if you'd like. Gently push the crumble and strawberries into the top of the cookies and quickly return back to the oven.
- Bake an additional 10-14 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers are set to the cookies. Remove the cookies from the oven, and smack the pans on the counter to flatten the cookies if desired.
- If you want the cookies perfectly round, use a small bowl or a round cookie cutter placed over each cookie and moved in a circular motion to nudge the edges into a perfect circle.
- Baking Note: These baking times are a guide and recommended based on my oven and 2 oz cookies. If you make smaller cookies, be aware the bake time after you add the crumble will be less. Watch the cookies closely to avoid burning and bake 5 minutes then check them. Use the visual cues I've listed to assess when the cookies are done.
Step 6: Cool and Enjoy
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheets to set before transferring them to a wire rack to set up completely. Serve cooled cookies!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!