Cottage Cheese Strawberry Cookies (Print Version)

Tender cookies combining creamy cottage cheese with bursts of fresh strawberries and a hint of vanilla.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1/2 cup cottage cheese, whole milk, well-drained
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Sweeteners

03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

05 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Fruit

09 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced

→ Optional Topping

10 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sprinkling

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened butter, drained cottage cheese, and granulated sugar until light and creamy. Mix in vanilla extract.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Gently fold diced strawberries into the cookie dough.
06 - Scoop heaping tablespoons of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies approximately 2 inches apart.
07 - Sprinkle coarse sugar over cookie tops if desired.
08 - Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until edges are golden and centers are set.
09 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cottage cheese keeps them impossibly tender and moist, almost cake-like, without needing any eggs.
  • Fresh strawberries burst through every bite, making each cookie taste a little different.
  • They're easier than traditional shortcake but taste just as indulgent.
02 -
  • Drained cottage cheese is non-negotiable—I learned this the hard way when a batch came out more like cake because I skipped that step.
  • Don't overmix the dough once you add the flour, or you'll lose that tender texture that makes these special.
  • These cookies are best the same day or next day—the cottage cheese keeps them moist initially, but they do firm up over time.
03 -
  • Softening the butter ahead of time instead of melting it is what makes the dough cream properly and keeps the cookies tender rather than greasy.
  • Don't skip the cooling time on the baking sheet—those first 5 minutes let the structure set so the cookies transfer cleanly to the rack without falling apart.
Go Back