Raspberry Sugar Cookies are a fruity and fun twist on traditional sugar cookies. They’re so pretty and tasty!
The Best Raspberry Cookies
These may very well be the happiest, prettiest sugar cookies you’ll ever make. Their pastel color certainly gives them a different look from more traditional sugar cookies.
The pale pink in these Raspberry Sugar Cookies is thanks to the addition of freeze-dried raspberries. Freeze-dried fruits are great for baking because you can get all of that great flavor without adding the moisture found in fresh berries. And, with these cookies, the berries are finely ground so they’re evenly distributed throughout each treat. There’s fantastic flavor in each bite!
This recipe is a variation of my favorite sugar cookie recipe, which adds cream cheese to the batter to make the cookies super soft. (For some other variations, see my sugar and spice cookies and lemon coconut sugar cookies.)
Finally, keep in mind that there’s no need to roll out the dough here; just scoop it and roll it into balls for baking. For these cookies, I recommend rolling the dough in sanding sugar for some sparkle and a little extra bite of sweetness!
(If you want to try out some more easy sugar cookie recipes, check out these browned butter salty sugar cookies, these frosted sugar cookie bars, and these drop sugar cookies.)
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Cookie Recipe
Raspberry sugar cookies are so addictive! Here’s why you’ll want to make batch after batch:
- Soft and chewy. These raspberry cookies are perfectly soft and chewy, with a little crunch added from the sanding sugar!
- Adaptable. If you like, you can easily substitute a different freeze-dried fruit to change the flavor. There are so many possibilities!
- Perfect for various holidays. I think these raspberry sugar cookies are a pretty great baking project any time of year, but their color makes them a perfect choice for Valentine’s Day and Easter.
What You’ll Need
Other than the raspberries, the ingredient list for these raspberry cookies is made up of common baking ingredients. Look for freeze-dried fruits alongside the dried fruits or fresh fruits at your local grocery store. (Also, for exact amounts and the full directions, check out the recipe card below.)
- All-purpose flour – Measure your flour by weight for the best results. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, be sure to spoon and sweep.
- Baking powder & baking soda – To help the cookies rise and spread out a little bit.
- Salt – You can use table salt, sea salt, kosher salt, etc.
- Unsalted butter – Set out the butter about half an hour before baking to allow it to soften.
- Cream cheese – Full-fat cream cheese works best. Be sure to let it come to room temperature so it will mix more smoothly.
- Granulated sugar – This recipe just calls for simple white granulated sugar.
- Freeze-dried raspberries – You’ll need to grind these finely. (I like to use a mini food processor.) Sift the ground raspberries through a fine-mesh sieve if you want to remove the seeds.
- Egg – Set out the egg, too, so it can come to room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract offers the best flavor.
- Sanding sugar – This is optional, but it makes the cookies sparkly and adds a little extra sweetness. Regular granulated sugar will work, too, but won’t have quite the same look.
How to Make Raspberry Cookies
These sugar cookies mix quickly and easily, but don’t forget to factor the chilling time into your baking plans!
- Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients and raspberries. Beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Next, add the sugar and ground raspberries, and mix well. Then, mix in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
- Chill the dough. Cover and refrigerate the dough for an hour.
- Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 350°F, then line some baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Portion and shape the dough. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions and roll each one into a ball between your hands. Roll each ball of dough in sanding sugar, too.
- Bake. Place the cookies on the prepared pans, leaving about 2 inches between them. Flatten the top of each cookie slightly. (Sprinkle a little more sugar on top if needed.) Bake them for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the tops seem set. Refrigerate the remaining dough between baking batches.
- Cool the cookies. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Watch How These Raspberry Sugar Cookies Come Together
Check out this video to see how easy the cookie-making process is:
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making the best raspberry sugar cookies!
- Freeze-dried vs dried fruit. Don’t confuse freeze-dried with dried fruits. Freeze-dried fruits have had moisture removed so that they’re light, dry, and crispy.
- Don’t skip the chilling time. Refrigerating the dough will let the flavors meld more and help prevent too much spreading while baking.
- Use light-colored baking sheets. Dark pans will over-bake the bottoms of the cookies and can cause more spreading. Also, remember if you’re reusing a baking pan to let it cool completely before putting more cookie dough on it.
- Checking for doneness. Because of their color, it can be a little difficult to tell when these cookies are done. Look for a bit of browning around the bottom edges. The centers should also appear set.
- Scoop and roll. For nicely shaped cookies with a consistent size, first portion the dough with a cookie scoop and then roll it into a ball between your hands.
Topping Ideas
I like the simplicity of rolling these cookies in sugar, but there are other ways to dress them up as well!
- Sprinkles – Feel free to decorate these cookies with the sprinkles of your choice.
- Glaze – Drizzle the cooled cookies with a simple confectioners’ sugar glaze (like the one on these spiced oatmeal cookies).
- Melted chocolate – Dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate or dark chocolate.
How to Store
Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container. To keep them looking their best, place them between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper. They should keep at room temperature for up to 5 days.
For a few more days of storage, place the container in the refrigerator. Be sure that the container is airtight so that the cookies won’t become dry.
How to Freeze These Cookies
Once the cookies are completely cooled, they can be placed in a freezer-safe bag or container. You may want to place them between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper to keep them looking their best. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze the unbaked cookies. Portion them as directed, and place the balls of dough on a lined rimmed baking sheet. Once they’re frozen solid (about 2 hours), place them in a freezer bag or container. You can roll them in sugar before or after the initial freezing. The sugar may not hold up quite as well after a stint in the freezer, but then you can bake the cookies straight from frozen. Otherwise, you’ll need to let the dough thaw at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before rolling it in sugar, so it will stick. Then, bake the cookies as directed.
More Sugar Cookie Recipes
There are so many different sugar cookie recipes to try! Here are a few more:
- M&M Marshmallow Sugar Cookie Bars
- Cream Cheese Thumbprint Cookies
- Soft Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
- Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
- M&M Sugar Cookie Bars
Raspberry Sugar Cookies
These raspberry sugar cookies are a pretty and fruity twist on traditional sugar cookies. Make them for Valentine's Day, or just a fun treat!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (37g) ground freeze-dried raspberries*
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup sanding sugar, optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and ground raspberries, and mix until combined. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Using 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into balls. Roll each in sanding sugar (if using).
- Place the dough balls on the prepared pans, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies. Flatten the top of each cookie slightly, adding a pinch more sanding sugar if necessary.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the tops appear set.
- Cool on the pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- *A 1.3-ounce (37g) bag will yield about 1/2 cup when ground. I recommend grinding them in a food processor.
- To store: Place the cooled cookies in an airtight container. To keep them looking their best, place them between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper. They should keep at room temperature for up to 5 days. For a few more days of storage, place the container in the refrigerator. Be sure that the container is airtight so that the cookies won't become dry.
- To freeze: Once the cookies are completely cooled, they can be placed in a freezer-safe bag or container. You may want to place them between layers of waxed paper or parchment paper to keep them looking their best. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.
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12 Comments on “Raspberry Sugar Cookies”
I have freeze dried strawberries. Do you think those would work instead of the raspberries?
Sure!
I love anything raspberry! Can’t wait to try these out on my granddaughters!
Amazon sells raspberry powder in place of grinding your own.
Mine weren’t as pretty as yours. I also had to switch to strawberries.  I didn’t have the raspberries but I did have homemade raspberry sugar from freeze dried raspberries.  I mixed that with some crystal sugar and rolled the chilled cookies. More brownish than so pretty colored but they got great reviews.  So a little of both.  I also switched to gluten free flour.  Thanks for a great recipe!
I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies, Linda!
These turned out great! My mom brought them to some other friends of hers and they loved it. We used freeze dried strawberries instead of raspberries and granulated sugar instead of sanding sugar to roll the cookies
I’m glad you enjoyed the cookies, Annabelle!
Hi.Â
When using freeze dried fruit as a powder to flavor any cookie, does either the dry or wet ingredients need adjusted for the addition of the powder?
Hi, Shannon. It depends on how much you’re adding and how the original recipe works. If it’s a small amount, then you likely wouldn’t need to change anything. For this recipe, there’s quite a bit here, so I used about 1/2 cup less flour than I normally would. Adding more liquid would also counteract the addition of more dry ingredients. It may take some tweaking to get your specific recipe just right.
Just made these today . They did not come real well . Took on a lavender color . The taste is just ok . Disappointed I wasted pricey ingredients . Will not make again .
Two questions:
First, in order to achieve a deeper/brighter pink color for the final bake, could you add some food coloring/paste to the dough without affecting the liquid/flour ratio?
Second, could you use “freeze-dried raspberry powder” as opposed to just the freeze-dried fruit? I definitely want to add these to my Christmas trays this year. Thanks in advance!
Hi, Jane! I’ve not tried it, but I think a gel food coloring would work for these cookies. As long as the raspberry powder just has raspberries in the ingredient list, I don’t know why it wouldn’t work.