Description
Okay, imagine taking a classic sugar cookie—you know, that soft, buttery, perfect cookie that doesn’t need anything else to be amazing—and infusing it with real raspberry flavor and a gorgeous natural pink color. That’s what we’re dealing with here. These Raspberry Sugar Cookies are basically vanilla sugar cookies that got a major glow-up with freeze-dried raspberries, a hint of almond extract, and the prettiest pink hue you’ve ever seen. They’re soft, chewy, slightly tangy from the berries, and rolled in sparkly pink sugar that makes them look like they belong in a fancy bakery window. I made these for Valentine’s Day last year and my boyfriend proposed three days later. Coincidence? Probably, but I’m taking credit. My best friend ordered two dozen for her bridal shower and people kept asking which bakery made them. These cookies make people think you’re way fancier than you actually are.
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar (this is KEY—don’t skip it)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk (save the white for later)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (this makes them taste expensive)
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried raspberries, ground into powder
- 2–3 drops pink food coloring (optional—the raspberries give color but you can boost it)
For Rolling:
- 1/2 cup coarse sanding sugar (pink or white)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp ground freeze-dried raspberries (for extra pink sparkle)
Equipment:
- Food processor or spice grinder (for powdering raspberries)
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoon size)
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone mats
- Small bowls for rolling sugar
- Wire cooling racks
Instructions
Take your freeze-dried raspberries and put them in a food processor, spice grinder, or even a ziplock bag. You want to pulverize them into a fine powder.
Food processor method: Pulse 15-20 times until you have a fine, bright pink powder. Some tiny seed bits are fine—they add texture.
Spice grinder method: Work in batches. Grind until powdery. This gives you the finest powder.
Ziplock method: Seal the bag and crush with a rolling pin or the bottom of a measuring cup. This works but takes more effort and won’t be as fine.
You need about 1/2 cup of whole freeze-dried berries to make roughly 1/3 cup of powder. Measure AFTER grinding.
Set aside about 2 tablespoons of the raspberry powder for your rolling sugar. The rest goes in the dough.
Pro tip: You can find freeze-dried raspberries at Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or online. They’re usually near the dried fruit or in the snack aisle. Don’t use fresh or regular dried raspberries—they have too much moisture and will ruin your dough.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
Add your ground raspberry powder (except the 2 tbsp you saved for rolling) to the flour mixture and whisk until it’s evenly distributed and turns slightly pink. It’ll look like pink snow. Beautiful.
Set this aside.
In your stand mixer bowl (or large bowl with hand mixer), beat the softened butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes. You want it light, fluffy, and pale. This is what makes sugar cookies soft and tender. Don’t rush this step.
The butter MUST be room temperature. If you can press your finger into it easily but it’s not greasy or melted, you’re good. Cold butter = lumpy disaster. Melted butter = flat cookies.
Add the whole egg and egg yolk. Beat until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Mix in vanilla extract and almond extract. The almond extract is subtle but makes people wonder what that amazing flavor is. Don’t skip it.
If you want a more vibrant pink color, add 2-3 drops of pink food coloring now. The raspberries give a natural pinkish hue, but food coloring makes it POP. This is optional—natural is beautiful too.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the pink flour mixture. Mix until JUST combined—you should barely see any flour streaks. Don’t overmix or your cookies will be tough.
The dough will be soft, slightly pink, and smell AMAZING. It should be scoopable but not sticky. If it’s sticky, add 1-2 tablespoons more flour.
If you want, you can chill the dough for 20-30 minutes to make it easier to roll, but it’s not necessary. These cookies don’t spread much thanks to the cream of tartar magic.
In a shallow bowl, mix together the coarse sanding sugar, granulated sugar, and the 2 tablespoons of raspberry powder you set aside.
Stir it together until you have a sparkly pink sugar mixture. This is what makes these cookies GORGEOUS.
If you don’t have coarse sanding sugar, regular granulated sugar works fine—it just won’t be as sparkly. You can also use just white sanding sugar if you want a more subtle look.
Using a cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), scoop out portions of dough. Roll each portion between your palms to form a smooth ball.
Roll each ball in your pink sugar mixture, coating it completely. The sugar should stick to the dough nicely. If it’s not sticking, slightly dampen your hands before rolling the dough balls.
Place the sugar-coated balls on your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. They’ll spread a little but not much.
Optional but cute: Gently press each ball down slightly with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup. This gives them a flatter, more even shape. Or leave them round for a puffier cookie. Both are great.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. They should look barely set in the center and slightly crackled on top. The edges will be very lightly golden, but the centers should still look a tiny bit underdone.
DO NOT OVERBAKE. These need to come out when they look slightly underdone. They’ll continue to cook on the hot pan and will firm up as they cool. Overbaked sugar cookies are a crime against humanity.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They’ll be soft and delicate when warm, so be gentle.
Look at those gorgeous pink cookies. Take pictures from multiple angles.
Try one while it’s still slightly warm. Experience soft, chewy, raspberry-flavored bliss.
Arrange the rest on a pretty plate or in a gift box. Feel like a professional baker.
Try not to eat the entire batch in one sitting. Fail at that. Make another batch.
Notes
These cookies are perfect on their own, but here are ways to make them even more special:
- Tea party perfection: Serve with hot tea or lemonade for an elegant afternoon treat
- Ice cream sandwiches: Use vanilla or strawberry ice cream between two cookies for instant fancy dessert
- Valentine’s gift: Pack in a cellophane bag tied with ribbon. Add a cute tag. Melt hearts.
- Bridal/baby showers: These are THE cookies for pink-themed celebrations
- Birthday treats: Way prettier than regular sugar cookies
- Cookie platters: Pair with vanilla or chocolate cookies for color variety
- Crumbled over yogurt: Break them up and sprinkle over Greek yogurt and fresh berries for breakfast dessert
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 11 minutes
Nutrition
- Calories: ~95 kcal
- Sugar: ~8g
- Sodium: ~75mg
- Carbohydrates: ~13g
- Protein: ~1g