These raspberry sugar cookies are like common cut-out sugar cookies, however with two main upgrades within the dough: tangy cream cheese and freeze-dried raspberries. Naturally coloured, these fairly pink cookies are lovely proper out of the oven, however be at liberty to garnish with melted chocolate or every other beneficial toppings. You’ll love these for Valentine’s Day or any event the place you crave a enjoyable, berry flavored cookie.

Have you ever ever baked my common sugar cookies earlier than? They’re a conventional sugar cookie with comfortable facilities and barely crisp edges—undoubtedly a favourite round right here particularly once I make Valentine’s Day cookies, Easter cookies, and Christmas sugar cookies (similar dough recipe). A recipe with year-round versatility!

It’s one among my most-used recipes, proper together with chocolate chip cookies and pie crust. I even have a broadcast recipe for cream cheese cut-out cookies with Nutella glaze, which takes sugar cookies to the subsequent degree. The cream cheese supplies a creamy-like texture and slight tang in every chew. I normally desire them over our common sugar cookies!

I took the identical cream cheese sugar cookie dough and experimented with freeze-dried raspberries. The consequence was an additional tender berry-flavored cookie with probably the most beautiful (and pure!) pink/magenta shade. I figured you’d get pleasure from making an attempt these at dwelling.

Inform Me About These Raspberry Sugar Cookies

• Texture: Cream cheese makes the dough additional comfortable and creamy, which I like in so many cookie recipes, like apricot cream cheese thumbprints and maple walnut tassies.
• Taste: In case you’re ever craving FLAVOR in your sugar cookies, begin right here. We’ve a slight tang from the cream cheese, however a lot of the taste comes from raspberries. I respect that we’re utilizing actual berries which were freeze-dried, not synthetic raspberry flavoring. Almond extract is totally non-obligatory, however it provides one other degree of taste.
• Ease: Cookie cutter sugar cookies, of any selection and taste, aren’t fairly as simple as drop cookies. Nevertheless, in case you’re comfy utilizing a rolling pin and cookie cutters, the method received’t appear arduous. This recipe requires an additional step however it’s fairly easy: grind the freeze-dried berries into powder earlier than utilizing.
• Time: The cookie dough comes collectively shortly. Roll it out, then chill it within the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours. With out chilling, the cookies will utterly lose their form. After that, reduce the dough into shapes, then bake. Put aside just a few hours to finish this recipe.

Freeze-Dried Raspberries are the Secret

I like utilizing freeze-dried berries in frostings. Have you ever tried this strawberry buttercream earlier than? If you grind freeze-dried strawberries right into a powder, you’ll be able to simply use it in frosting. Freeze-dried berry powder or “mud” is ideal as a result of it’s not moist and, subsequently, doesn’t mess with the consistency of frosting. Actual berry taste with out compromising texture. We additionally apply it to the coating of chocolate raspberry crinkle cookies. And, because it seems, you are able to do the identical factor with sugar cookie dough so long as you don’t go overboard with amount. 2 cups (about 56g) of freeze-dried raspberries grinds down into 1/2 cup of powder, which is the proper quantity for this sugar cookie dough.

• The place to purchase freeze-dried raspberries: I at all times discover them in my common grocery retailer within the dried fruit aisle. Hold your eyes peeled– they’re extra frequent than you assume. We like Dealer Joe’s model and Goal carries a pleasant choice, too. You too can buy them on-line and here’s a model we’ve examined earlier than. (They’re much cheaper in shops if you’ll find them!) You want 2 cups, which is a bit more than 1 commonplace 1.2 ounce (weight) bag.
• Can I do that with one other kind of freeze-dried fruit? Sure, completely. I’ve examined this sugar cookie dough with freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, and mango. The mango taste wasn’t as intense because the berries, although. Use the identical quantity—1/2 cup of the bottom powder.
• Can I do that with common dried fruit or frozen fruit? No, don’t use chewy/gummy dried fruit and don’t use frozen fruit. You want freeze-dried raspberries, that are raspberries with the entire moisture eliminated—that approach they’ll grind right into a powder.

Overview: Making Raspberry Sugar Cookies

• Grind freeze-dried raspberries into powder.
• Make sugar cookie dough. The recipe directions beneath embrace creaming the butter and cream cheese collectively earlier than including sugar. You additionally want 1 egg and vanilla extract. Almond extract is non-obligatory, however a tasty addition when you’ve got some available. The dry components embrace flour, your raspberry powder, baking powder, and salt.
• Divide in two items.
• Roll out cookie dough. Roll every part out to 1/4 inch thick. Have additional flour available as a result of the dough is sticky.
• Chill rolled out dough for a minimum of 2 hours.
• Lower into shapes. Re-roll all of your scraps—you’ll be shocked what number of cookies you get from this quantity of dough. I like these coronary heart formed cookie cutters, however you need to use no matter form you’d like.
• Bake & cool. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets earlier than adorning.

The Trick is the Order of Steps

Discover how I roll out the dough BEFORE chilling it within the fridge? Let me clarify why. To forestall the cookies from over-spreading, the cookie dough should chill within the fridge. Roll out the dough proper after you put together it, then chill the rolled-out dough. (At this level the dough is just too comfortable to chop into shapes.) Don’t chill the cookie dough after which attempt to roll it out as a result of it is going to be too chilly and tough to work with. Divide the dough in half earlier than rolling it out as a result of smaller sections of dough are merely extra manageable.

I comply with this similar order of steps when making brown sugar cut-out cookies.

After chilling, reduce into shapes, prepare on lined baking sheets, bake, after which cool.

Ornament & Topping Concepts

I like utilizing royal icing on common sugar cookies. That icing would undoubtedly work right here (and right here’s my the best way to embellish sugar cookies tutorial if you wish to accomplish that!), however I didn’t need the raspberry and cream cheese flavors to be overpowered by tremendous candy icing. So as a substitute I dipped them in melted darkish chocolate and drizzled with melted white chocolate. So easy, so scrumptious. Listed below are some choices:

Garnish the chocolate or icing with sprinkles or leftover freeze-dried raspberry powder:

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Raspberry Sugar Cookies

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  Creator: Sally
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  Prep Time: 2 hours, half-hour
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  Prepare dinner Time: 13 minutes
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  Complete Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
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  Yield: 36 3-inch cookies
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  Class: Desserts
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  Technique: Baking
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  Delicacies: American

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Description

Floor freeze-dried raspberries add shade and taste to this cream cheese sugar cookie dough. You may go away the cookies plain, however we love them garnished with melted chocolate.

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Optionally available Chocolate Topping

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Directions

1. Utilizing a blender or meals processor, course of the freeze-dried raspberries right into a powder. You’ll have round 1/2 cup. Be at liberty to grind additional and use as garnish in step 9.
2. Whisk the raspberry powder, flour, baking powder, and salt collectively in a big bowl. Put aside.
3. In a big bowl utilizing a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese collectively on medium-high velocity till utterly clean and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat till combination is fluffy and mixed, about 1 minute. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if utilizing) and beat on excessive velocity till mixed, about 1 minute. Scrape down the edges and up the underside of the bowl and beat once more as wanted to mix.
4. Add the dry components to the moist components and blend on low velocity till mixed. Dough shall be very comfortable and creamy.
5. Generously flour your fingers and rolling pin. Divide the dough into 2 equal elements. Roll every portion out on a frivolously floured piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat to about 1/4-inch thickness. The rolled-out dough may be any form, so long as it’s evenly 1/4-inch thick.
6. Evenly mud one of many rolled-out doughs with flour. Place a bit of parchment on high. (This prevents sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on high. Cowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and as much as 2 days.
7. As soon as chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 massive baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Rigorously take away the highest dough piece from the fridge. If it’s sticking to the underside, run your hand beneath it to assist take away it. Utilizing a cookie cutter, reduce the dough into shapes. (I like these coronary heart cookie cutters.) Re-roll the remaining dough and proceed slicing till all is used. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough. Observe: It doesn’t appear to be a whole lot of dough, however you get a whole lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.
8. Prepare cookies on baking sheets 3 inches aside. Bake for 12-13 minutes till very frivolously browned across the edges. In case your oven has sizzling spots, rotate the baking sheet midway by means of bake time. Permit cookies to chill on the baking sheet for five minutes then switch to a wire rack to chill utterly earlier than adorning.
9. For non-obligatory chocolate adorning: Soften the chocolate in a double boiler or use the microwave. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after every till utterly melted. Dip cooled cookies within the melted chocolate and/or drizzle with melted chocolate, then place again onto the baking sheets. I dipped the pictured cookies in melted semi-sweet chocolate after which drizzled with the melted white chocolate. If desired, sprinkle with additional freeze-dried raspberry powder. Permit chocolate to set within the fridge or at room temperature.
10. Cookies keep recent coated at room temperature for as much as 3 days or within the fridge for as much as 1 week.

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Notes

1. Freezing Directions: Plain or adorned sugar cookies freeze nicely as much as 3 months. Await the chocolate/icing to set utterly earlier than layering between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. To thaw, thaw within the fridge or at room temperature. You too can freeze the cookie dough for as much as 3 months earlier than rolling it out. Put together the dough by means of step 4, divide in half, flatten each halves right into a disk as we do with pie crust, wrap every in plastic wrap, then freeze. To thaw, thaw the disks within the fridge, then convey to room temperature for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough as directed in step 5, then chill rolled out dough within the fridge for 45 minutes – 1 hour earlier than slicing into shapes and baking.
2. Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): Meals Processor | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Rolling Pin | Coronary heart Cookie Cutter | Freeze-Dried Raspberries | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler (non-obligatory) 
3. Cream Cheese: Need to omit the cream cheese? Use our common sugar cookies recipe and add 1/2 cup of the raspberry powder to that cookie dough. Whisk it in with the dry components, simply as you do right here.
4. Freeze-dried raspberries: I at all times discover them in my common grocery retailer within the dried fruit aisle. Hold your eyes peeled—they’re extra frequent than you assume. We like Dealer Joe’s model and Goal carries a pleasant choice, too. You too can buy them on-line and here’s a model we’ve examined earlier than. (They’re much cheaper in shops if you’ll find them!) You want 2 cups, which is a bit more than 1 commonplace 1.2 ounce (weight) bag.
5. Can I do that with one other kind of freeze-dried fruit? Sure, completely. I’ve examined this sugar cookie dough with freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, and mango. The freeze-dried raspberries gave probably the most potent taste. Use the identical quantity—1/2 cup of the bottom powder.
6. Can I do that with common dried fruit or frozen fruit? No, don’t use chewy/gummy dried fruit and don’t use frozen fruit. You want freeze-dried raspberries, that are raspberries with the entire moisture eliminated—that approach they’ll grind right into a powder.
7. Different Toppings: See Ornament & Topping Concepts in weblog submit above.
8. Be sure you take a look at my high 5 cookie baking success suggestions AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking instruments.