Soft strawberry cookies, rich cream cheese frosting, and a crunchy strawberry topping this treat delivers layered textures and bold berry flavor, all starting from a cake mix.
Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Yield | 12 large cookies |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Total Time | About 45 minutes |
| Flavor Profile | Sweet, fruity, creamy, crunchy |
| Best For | Birthdays, spring treats, gifting |
Ingredients
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- 1¼ cups freeze-dried strawberries, pulsed into a coarse powder
- 1 cup Golden Oreo cookie crumbs (about 15 cookies)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
Strawberry Cookies
- 1 box (15.25 oz) strawberry cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup butter-flavored shortening
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ tbsp vanilla extract
- 3½ to 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 3 tbsp milk
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand or stand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- Food processor (or zipper bag + rolling pin)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Optional: piping bag for frosting
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Crunch Topping
- Pulse Golden Oreos into crumbs using a food processor. Measure 1 cup into a bowl.
- Pulse freeze-dried strawberries into a coarse powder. Add 1¼ cups of this to the Oreo crumbs.
- Mix in softened butter with a spoon or your hands until evenly coated. Set aside.
2. Preheat the Oven
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment.
3. Prepare the Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, and cornstarch.
- Add softened butter, shortening, eggs, and vanilla.
- Use an electric mixer to beat until a thick dough forms.
4. Scoop and Bake
- Use a ¼-cup scoop to portion dough. Roll each into a round, slightly flattened disc.
- Place 6 cookies per sheet to give them space to spread.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, just until the centers are set. Avoid overbaking.
- Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before frosting.
5. Make the Frosting
- Beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix until thick and fluffy.
- Adjust consistency with 1–3 tablespoons of milk as needed.
6. Frost and Top
- Frost each cooled cookie by spreading or piping the frosting.
- Immediately sprinkle with strawberry crunch topping.
- Serve or refrigerate to set the frosting.
Tips for Success
- Room-temperature ingredients ensure smooth frosting and evenly mixed dough.
- Don’t skip the cornstarch. It helps create a tender, bakery-style texture.
- Use a food processor for the crunch topping if possible, but a rolling pin works in a pinch.
- Pipe the frosting for a neater finish or swirl optional, but adds presentation value.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Freeze frosted cookies for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge before serving.
- Crunch Topping: Store extra topping in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Common Questions
Can I make these smaller?
Yes. Use 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and reduce baking time to 8–10 minutes.
What if I don’t have butter-flavored shortening?
You can use all butter, but the cookies may spread more and have a softer texture.
Can I use fresh strawberries instead of freeze-dried?
No — fresh berries will introduce moisture. Freeze-dried gives flavor without affecting texture.
Can I use a different cake mix?
A vanilla or white cake mix with strawberry extract works in a pinch, but the strawberry flavor won’t be as strong.
Final Notes
Easy Strawberry Crunch Cookies are the kind of treat that gets noticed. The bold pink color, creamy frosting, and unexpected crunch make them stand out at bake sales, birthday tables, or just because. Best of all, they’re made with simple ingredients and a cake mix shortcut that keeps prep time low and flavor high.
This recipe is approachable but impressive — exactly the kind of cookie that looks like it came from a bakery but came from your kitchen instead.
Easy Strawberry Crunch Cookies
A strawberry cake mix is transformed into a delicious cookie that is covered in cream cheese frosting and homemade strawberry crunch topping.
Ingredients
Method
- Strawberry Crunch Topping
- Add Golden Oreos to food processor* and pulse until you have crumbs. Pour 1 cup into bowl. Add freeze dried strawberries to food processor and pulse until you have a powder {there can be a few chunks}. Put 1 1/4 cups freeze dried strawberry powder into the Golden Oreo crumbs that you set aside. Add the softened butter and work it into the ingredients using your hands {or a spoon}. Continue to work it together until everything is evenly coated. Set aside until cookies are ready.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Strawberry Cookies
- Combine the strawberry cake mix, all purpose flour and cornstarch in a large bowl. Whisk the ingredients together to combine. Add the softened butter, shortening, eggs and vanilla extract to the dry mixture and cream together using a hand held {or stand} mixer. The dough will be a nice thick consistency.
- Use a ¼ cup to measure out cookie dough onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet. Form the cookie dough mounds into round discs, baking 6 cookies at a time. Bake for 11-13 minutes or until the cookies are baked through but not over baked. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet. Continue baking the 2nd batch.
- Cream Cheese Frosting
- While the cookies are cooling start making the frosting. In a medium bowl combine the softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and milk. Mix using a hand held {or stand} mixer until thick but spreadable. Add more milk if needed.
- Spread the frosting on top of each cookie or add the frosting to a piping bag and pipe the frosting on the top of each cookie. Add Strawberry Crunch Topping to the top of each cookie and serve.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 592kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 592kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 411mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 670IU | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg