Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

I'm a huge strawberry shortcake fan (like, huge like fat and also huge like enthusiastic).  It's been one of my favorite desserts for as long as I can remember, and it's reminiscent of summer time and no school. 

As a child, I was also a big Strawberry Shortcake fan.  This one, the girl with the frumpy clothes who smelled like artificial strawberries.  I loved that smell.

Now, my mom always made her strawberry shortcake with Bisquick.  I've heard rumors of moms who used pound cake (which is also probably delicious). But, I'm partial to the Bisquick.  Something about the sweet and savory gets me every time.  (Mitch, too. You should see him go apeshit for yogurt-covered pretzels.)

The last two times I've been to Publix, quarts of strawberries have been on sale for $1.25 each.  Since I have trouble resisting a good sale, and since I love strawberries, and since I can convince myself that they'll be a healthy after-school snack (Yeah, right.  Not so healthy when I'm dipping them in cream cheese icing, now, are they?), I've been buying strawberries by the gallon.

To be completely honest, though, these haven't been the best strawberries of my life.  They're big and pretty, but not bursting with flavor. 

But I think I may have found a solution.  I was on my friend Martha's website and saw that she had an entire collection of recipes that used strawberries, and that's where I found these babies: strawberry shortcake cookies.  Oh, that Martha!

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies (Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe)


Ingredients
Makes about 3 dozen
12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
3 ounces (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup buttermilk
Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cream until dough starts to come together, then stir in strawberry mixture.

2.Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing evenly apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Cookies are best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.

These have a texture more like muffin tops than cookies, but they're crazy good.

Happy Hump Day!