Crunchy Creamy Strawberry Cookies

I usually like to keep it simple in this space so I will warn you that this recipe takes a bit of time. There are multiple steps but I do think the payoff is worth it! I love cookies with American buttercream vs. royal icing and I wish I saw more of it because it really is much more tasty. Im not sure anyone has ever said royal icing is delicious. Its cloyingly sweet and the flavor is super flat. But it does make for some beautiful cookies!

These are inspired by those strawberry crunch bars I used to get as a kid from the ice cream truck. My parents were always sort of suspicious of the ice cream truck but theyd always give me a few dollars and walk me out there to purchase my goodies. I always, always went with the strawberry crunch bar.

For years I tried to duplicate that exact popsicle with absolutely no luck. Its pretty hard to make a soft, ice cream-like interior and crunchy exterior with a popsicle. Im guessing they have crazy machines and what not. So think of this cookie as more a deconstructed version of that bar. Much easier than messing with popsicle molds.

The freeze dried strawberries are my absolute favorite thing to have in the kitchen. It truly is so delicious in baked goods and these cookies are just screaming to be a part of your spring brunch table.

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She's a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.