Two delicious and buttery strawberries & cream cookies are sandwiched together with a not-too-sweet Italian buttercream & fresh strawberry puree combo. It’s quite possibly one of the best cookie duos out there. Plus, they're gluten free - what's not to love?
Strawberry has to be one of the best fruits, and I am constantly snacking on them at home. I love all strawberry flavored things, from yogurt to ice cream, muffins, and even on salads. Strawberries are so bright, refreshing, and flavorful. So, when a coworker of mine requested a strawberry cookie sandwich for her birthday, this creation was born.
The cookies are delicious on their own - slightly crisp around the edges and a soft, tender center. You can definitely enjoy them on their own, but they only get more delicious with a swirl of fresh strawberry buttercream and another cookie on top.
Ingredients for Strawberries & Cream Cookies
- unsalted butter, softened
- light brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- eggs, room temperature
- vanilla extract
- gluten free flour (without xanthan gum) or all purpose flour
- xanthan gum
- baking soda
- kosher salt
- freeze dried strawberries
- white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
Ingredients for a Fresh Strawberry Italian Buttercream
- granulated sugar, divided into two portions
- water
- fresh egg whites, room temperature (not from a carton)
- unsalted butter, softened
- vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- lemon, juiced
How to Make Gluten Free Strawberries and Cream Cookies
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugars together until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Don’t mix for too long - this will incorporate too much air, and the cookies will end up very flat. (Ask me how I know - lol!!)
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between. Add the vanilla. Mix until combined.
Add the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined. Stir in the freeze dried strawberries and white chocolate chips.
4. Scoop into 2 Tablespoon balls using a spoon or a cookie scoop. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes, or until lightly golden on the edges but not fully set in the middle. (Don’t over-bake the cookies - they will continue to cook on the pan as they cool.)
5. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
How to Make Fresh Strawberry Italian Buttercream
1. Wipe down the inside of the stand mixer bowl and the whisk attachment with a cut lemon. (You can also use a splash of vinegar, swirl it around, and wipe out the excess with a paper towel.)
2. In a small saucepan with a thermometer, combine the #1 large portion of sugar and water but don't stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Just after you begin cooking the sugar, add the egg whites to the clean mixing bowl. Begin whipping on low until frothy, and slowly sprinkle in the #2 smaller portion of sugar.
3. When the sugar syrup has reached 239°F (soft ball stage), turn the mixer speed up to medium-high and begin pouring the syrup into the egg white mixture in a steady stream, towards the edge of the bowl. Add all the syrup and let the mixture whip until it cools down to about room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.
4. While the meringue is whipping and cooling to room temperature, begin cooking the fresh strawberry puree: combine the chopped berries, sugar, and lemon juice and zest in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook slowly, stirring often until all berries are soft and mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. Taste the strawberry puree for sweetness, and if it is tart, add another tablespoon of sugar. Once the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and blend in a blender or with an immersion blender/handheld stick blender until smooth.
6. Blend the puree until smooth - we don't want any chunks of berries in our buttercream. Stick the puree in the fridge to chill until the buttercream has finished.
7. Once the meringue has cooled to room temperature, begin adding the softened butter. Add the butter quickly, while mixing continuously on medium speed.
8. Whip until completely combined, about 3-4 minutes. If the mixture separates, give it time to cool down more and come back together. When in doubt, just keep whipping it.
9. If the butter is still chunky, it means the butter was too cold when it was added into the meringue (or the meringue cooled down too much before the butter was added.) Continue to let it whip, while heating the outside of the bowl with a blowtorch, only a few seconds at a time, whipping in between. Alternatively, gently heat the bowl over warm water for a few seconds. Don't overheat, though. Mix, mix, mix.
10. Add vanilla, kosher salt, and lemon juice. Once mixed in, add the strawberry puree and mix until incorperated.
How to Assemble Strawberries and Cream Cookie Sandwiches
Once the buttercream has been prepared and the cookies have cooled, pair the cookies up according to size/shape. Transfer the buttercream into a pastry bag with a star piping tip, and pipe a swirl on to one cookie, and sandwich the cookies together. Enjoy!
Essentials for Making Berries & Cream Cookie Sandwiches
- a rubber spatula: here's my very favorite one. I have it in many colors, and I've never found a better spatula. Worth. Every. Penny.
- whisk set: sizes for all jobs & tasks
- glass mixing bowl set: for mixing together all the ingredients
- my favorite stand mixer: KitchenAid, always
- small saucepan: for making the syrup for the buttercream
- favorite thermometer: with a long probe and a temperature alarm
- immersion blender: for blending the berry puree
Shop all of my favorites for making desserts & meals here on Amazon.
Shop my must have ingredients here on Amazon.
Shop my must have kitchen gadgets & tools here on Amazon.
Note: This post contains affiliate links to which I may earn a small commission, but don’t worry there’s no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Rosemary Whisk.
- whisk set: sizes for all jobs & tasks
- glass mixing bowl set: for mixing together all the ingredients
- my favorite stand mixer: KitchenAid, always
- small saucepan: for making the syrup for the buttercream
- favorite thermometer: with a long probe and a temperature alarm
- immersion blender: for blending the berry puree
Shop all of my favorites for making desserts & meals here on Amazon.
Shop my must have ingredients here on Amazon.
Shop my must have kitchen gadgets & tools here on Amazon.
Note: This post contains affiliate links to which I may earn a small commission, but don’t worry there’s no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Rosemary Whisk.
Other Cookie Recipes
Gluten Free Biscotti are such a delicious treat and so easy to pull together to impress a crowd, and they’re so versatile. Double Chocolate, Blueberry Orange and Pistachio, or Cranberry Bliss Biscotti with white chocolate, cranberries, and orange zest are ready for your baking pleasure! They're so good, easy, and make a perfect addition to any baked good box or cookie swap menu. Oh, and they're all gluten free.
Can't decide between cake or cookies? I'm here to tell you that you don't have to. These Gluten Free Coffee Cake Cookies are the perfect collaboration of the two. They're soft, tender, and packed with flavor. They taste just like coffee cake, even down to the streusel topping. Come on, yuuum! Recipe modifications are available to make gluten free or regular cookies.
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