2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
Dash salt
2/3 cup cold butter
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FROSTING:
1/4 cup butter, softened
Scant 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon 2% milk
2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
Additional sliced fresh strawberries, optional
1. Whisk flour, sugar and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine water and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Refrigerate, covered, until firm, 1 to 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 3-in. round cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake until lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
3. For frosting, beat butter, strawberries and milk until combined. Gradually add confectioners' sugar; beat until blended. Spread over cookies; if desired, top with additional sliced strawberries.
Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts. I thought it would be great to capture all that wonderful flavor in a cookie. The pastry-like cookie is topped with pink strawberry frosting.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. + chilling Bake: 15 min./batch + cooling
YIELD: about 1-1/2 dozen.