These raspberry sugar cookies are like regular cut-out sugar cookies, but with two major upgrades in the dough: tangy cream cheese and freeze-dried raspberries. Naturally colored, these pretty pink cookies are beautiful right out of the oven, but feel free to garnish with melted chocolate or any other recommended toppings. You’ll love these for Valentine’s Day or any occasion where you crave a fun, berry-flavored cookie.
I originally published this recipe in 2021 and have since added new photos and helpful success tips.
Have you ever baked my regular sugar cookies before? They’re a traditional sugar cookie with soft centers and slightly crisp edges—definitely a favorite around here, especially when I make Valentine’s Day cookies, Easter cookies, and Christmas sugar cookies (same dough recipe). A recipe with year-round versatility!
It’s one of my most-used recipes, right along with chocolate chip cookies and pie crust. I also have a published recipe for cream cheese cut-out cookies with Nutella glaze, which takes sugar cookies to the next level. The cream cheese provides a creamy-like texture and slight tang in each bite. I might even prefer them over regular sugar cookies!
I took the same cream cheese sugar cookie dough and experimented with freeze-dried raspberries. The result was an extra tender berry-flavored cookie with the most gorgeous (and natural!) pink/magenta color.
One reader, Tierney, commented: “Thanks, Sally, for another awesome recipe! I was so pleasantly surprised at how much raspberry flavor these cookies had. I drizzled melted white chocolate on them and they were perfect. I will definitely be making them again. ★★★★★”
Another reader, Kathryn, commented: “These cookies are spectacular. I am posting this late, having made them last Valentine’s Day, but I cannot get them out of my mind. I took them to a special dinner and everyone loved them and they were so impressed. The balance is perfect for someone who prefers less sweet cookies. I dipped and drizzled some with dark chocolate (my preference) and some with white chocolate for those who prefer a slightly sweeter cookie. ★★★★★“
Tell Me About These Raspberry Sugar Cookies
- Texture: Cream cheese makes the dough extra soft and creamy, which I love in so many cookie recipes, like apricot cream cheese thumbprints and maple walnut tassies.
- Flavor: These cookies aren’t as sweet as normal sugar cookies. If you’re craving real fruit FLAVOR in your cookies, start here. We have a little tang from the cream cheese, but most of the flavor comes from the sweet-tart raspberries. I appreciate that we’re using real berries that have been freeze-dried, not artificial raspberry flavoring. Almond extract is completely optional, but it adds another level of flavor. For a little more sweetness, dip the cookies in chocolate or white chocolate.
- Ease: Cookie cutter sugar cookies, of any variety and flavor, aren’t quite as easy as drop cookies. However, if you’re comfortable using a rolling pin and cookie cutters, the process won’t seem arduous. This recipe requires an extra step but it’s pretty simple: grind the freeze-dried berries into powder before using.
- Time: The cookie dough comes together quickly. Roll it out, then chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Without chilling, the cookies will completely lose their shape. After that, cut the dough into shapes, then bake. Set aside a few hours to complete this recipe.
Freeze-Dried Raspberries Are the Secret
I love using freeze-dried berries in frostings. Have you tried this strawberry buttercream before? When you grind freeze-dried strawberries into a powder, you can easily use it in frosting. Freeze-dried berry powder—or “dust”—is perfect because it’s not wet and, therefore, doesn’t mess with the consistency of frosting. Real berry flavor without compromising texture. We also use it on the coating of chocolate raspberry crinkle cookies. And, as it turns out, you can do the same thing with sugar cookie dough, as long as you don’t go overboard with quantity. 2 cups (about 56g) of freeze-dried raspberries grinds down into 1/2 cup of powder, which is the perfect amount for this sugar cookie dough.
- Where to buy freeze-dried raspberries: I usually find them in my regular grocery store in the dried fruit aisle. Keep your eyes peeled—they’re more common than you think. Trader Joe’s and Target carry them too. You can also purchase them online and here is a brand we’ve tested before. (They are much cheaper in stores if you can find them!) You need 2 cups, which is a little less than 2 standard 1.2-ounce bags.
- Can I do this with another type of freeze-dried fruit? Yes, absolutely. I’ve tested this sugar cookie dough with freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, and mango. The mango flavor wasn’t as intense as the berries, though. Use the same amount—1/2 cup of the ground powder.
- Can I do this with regular dried fruit or frozen fruit? No, do not use chewy/gummy dried fruit and do not use frozen fruit. You need freeze-dried raspberries, which are raspberries with all of the moisture removed—that way they can grind into a powder.
Overview: Making Raspberry Sugar Cookies
- Grind freeze-dried raspberries into powder.
- Make sugar cookie dough. The recipe instructions below include creaming the butter and cream cheese together before adding sugar. (If you need extra help with this step, I have a complete tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar.) You also need 1 egg and vanilla extract. Almond extract is optional, but a tasty addition if you have some on hand. The dry ingredients include flour, the raspberry powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Divide into 2 pieces.
- Roll out cookie dough. Roll each piece of dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Have extra flour on hand because the dough is sticky.
- Chill rolled-out dough for at least 2 hours.
- Cut into shapes. Re-roll all your scraps—you’ll be surprised how many cookies you get from this amount of dough. I love these heart-shaped cookie cutters, but you can use whatever shape you’d like.
- Bake & cool. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets before decorating.
The Trick Is the Order of Steps
Notice how I roll out the dough BEFORE chilling it in the refrigerator? Let me explain why. To prevent the cookies from over-spreading, the cookie dough must chill in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough right after you prepare it, then chill the rolled-out dough. (At this point the dough is too soft to cut into shapes.) Don’t chill the cookie dough and then try to roll it out because it will be too cold and difficult to work with. Divide the dough in half before rolling it out because smaller sections of dough are simply more manageable.
I follow this same order of steps when making brown sugar cut-out cookies.
After chilling, cut into shapes, arrange on lined baking sheets, bake, and then cool.
Decoration & Topping Ideas
I love using royal icing on regular sugar cookies. That icing would definitely work here (and here’s my how to decorate sugar cookies tutorial if you want to do so!), but I didn’t want the tangy raspberry and cream cheese flavors to be overpowered by super-sweet icing. So instead I dipped them in melted dark chocolate and drizzled with melted white chocolate. So simple, so delicious. Here are some options:
- Melted chocolate (dark, milk, white)
- Royal icing or easy cookie icing (it’s what I use when I make these Christmas sugar cookies)
- Nutella glaze from these cream cheese cut-out cookies with Nutella glaze
- Cookie decorating buttercream (similar to these St. Patrick’s Day cookies) or chocolate buttercream
- Strawberry buttercream—you can replace the freeze-dried strawberries with freeze-dried raspberries to make a raspberry buttercream
Garnish the chocolate or icing with sprinkles or leftover freeze-dried raspberry powder:
Raspberry Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
- Yield: 36 3-inch cookies
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Ground freeze-dried raspberries add natural pink color and sweet-tart flavor to this tangy cream cheese sugar cookie dough. You can leave the cookies plain, but we love them garnished with melted chocolate.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (56g) freeze-dried raspberries
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 ounces (113g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 1 teaspoon almond extract
Optional Chocolate Topping
- 4-ounce bar (113g) semi-sweet and/or white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- extra freeze-dried raspberry powder, for garnish
Instructions
- Using a blender or food processor, process the freeze-dried raspberries into a powder. You’ll have around 1/2 cup. Feel free to grind extra and use as garnish in step 9.
- Whisk the raspberry powder, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat until mixture is fluffy and combined, about 1 minute. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using), and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Dough will be very soft and creamy.
- Generously flour your hands and rolling pin. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Roll each portion out on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper or silicone baking mat to about 1/4-inch thickness. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4 inch thick.
- Lightly dust one of the rolled-out dough portions with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This prevents sticking.) Place the second rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the parchment, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. (I like these heart cookie cutters.) Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with second piece of dough. Note: It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 12–13 minutes until very lightly browned around the edges. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheet(s) halfway through bake time. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
- For optional chocolate decorating: Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler, or use the microwave. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each until completely melted. Dip cooled cookies in the melted chocolate and/or drizzle with melted chocolate, then place back onto the lined baking sheets. I dipped the pictured cookies in melted semi-sweet chocolate and then drizzled melted white chocolate on top. If desired, sprinkle with extra freeze-dried raspberry powder (or sprinkles). Allow chocolate to set in the refrigerator (about 20–30 minutes) or at room temperature.
- Cookies stay fresh tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Plain or decorated sugar cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Wait for the chocolate/icing to set completely before layering between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months before rolling it out. Prepare the dough through step 4, divide in half, flatten both halves into discs as we do with pie crust, wrap each disc in plastic wrap, then freeze. Thaw the discs in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough as directed in step 5, then chill rolled-out dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour before cutting into shapes and baking. See this post on how to freeze cookie dough for a video tutorial.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Food Processor | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper | Rolling Pin or Adjustable Rolling Pin | Heart Cookie Cutter | Freeze-Dried Raspberries (such as this brand or this brand) | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler (optional)
- Cream Cheese: Want to leave out the cream cheese? Use this regular sugar cookies recipe and add 1/2 cup of the raspberry powder to that cookie dough. Whisk it in with the dry ingredients, just as you do here.
- Freeze-dried raspberries: I always find them in my regular grocery store in the dried fruit aisle. Trader Joe’s and Target carry them, too. You can also purchase them online and here is a brand we’ve tested before. (They are much cheaper in stores if you can find them!) You need 2 cups, which is a little less than 2 standard 1.2-ounce bags.
- Can I do this with another type of freeze-dried fruit? Yes, absolutely. I’ve tested this sugar cookie dough with freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, and mango. The freeze-dried raspberries gave the most potent flavor. Use the same amount—1/2 cup of the ground powder.
- Can I do this with regular dried fruit or frozen fruit? No, do not use chewy/gummy dried fruit and do not use frozen fruit. You need freeze-dried raspberries, which are raspberries with all of the moisture removed—that way they can grind into a powder.
- Other Toppings: See Decoration & Topping Ideas in blog post above.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking success tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Instead of cut out cookies, can I roll this dough into little balls, chill and then bake?
Hi Marlene, unfortunately these won’t work as a drop-style cookie. But, you could roll the dough into logs and then make them like slice and bake cookies. Hope you enjoy them!
Just finished making these and per a friend’s recommendation…WAIT…I introduced HER TO SALLY…she told me how great they were so of course I had to bake them!
I am so excited to try these! Would it be possible for me to use gf flour and dairy free substitutes for the cream cheese and butter?
Hi Tiffany, we haven’t tested these cookies with those changes.
HI, the chocolate dip shown on the cookies look tempered? Does the melting recipe you provide temper the chocolate?
Hi Alison! The chocolate isn’t tempered, just melted here. You could certainly temper it if you wanted.
Would I be able to substitute one-to-one the raspberry powder for cocoa powder or are there other adjustments that should be made to accommodate the cocoa powder? I’m looking for a chocolate cream cheese cut-out cookie and I swear by your recipes! 🙂
Hi Valerie! That wouldn’t be a 1:1 swap, and would take some testing. We do love our chocolate sugar cookies recipe!
Made these today. Loved by everyone, even my picky brother
I tried this with freeze dried strawberry powder. The base recipe is great. It comes together easily, rolls out cleanly and bakes beautifully. I added double the amount of strawberry powder to try to make the dough a more pleasant pink and increase the berry flavor. Unfortunately they still turned out mildly flavored and the color of bologna. I’ll try again with raspberries and may even try dusting the tops with more powdered berry and sanding sugar before baking.
I made these today and they are so flavourful and unique! They turned out so great. The instructions are so clear and to the point they make baking so easy!
If you love the flavour of these you have to try the strawberry cake it’s the same flavour profile and even better in my opinion!
Thank you Sally for another great recipe, I always rely on your website for new recipes.
Hi Sally! If the laziness is upon me can I do these as drop cookies instead of cut-out?
Hi Sally, unfortunately these won’t work as a drop-style cookie. But, you could roll the dough into logs and then make them like slice and bake cookies. Hope you enjoy them!
P.S. Also bought organic freeze dried raspberry powder on Amazon so I didn’t have to grind up the raspberries – pretty much cost the same and saved a step.
Love this recipe. Much prefer the white chocolate to the semi-sweet chocolate, but I generally don’t like chocolate with fruit flavors. Also tried making them using 1.5 tsp. Vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp. Lemon extract instead of the almond extract which added lovely tartness to the cookie. Can you recommend a good set of cookie cutters?
Hi Laura, we love Ann Clark brand cookie cutters—not sponsored, just genuine fans!
These are delicious! I made them yesterday, but I couldn’t find freeze dried raspberries at my store so I used freeze dried strawberries and they were SO SO good. Nice, soft texture and the strawberry taste was great for something different than a standard cut-out cookie. I did decorate them for Easter with your royal icing recipe and the combo was good. I would like to try these again as written with the chocolate and raspberry someday.
I love cooking, baking and collecting/reading cookbooks. I have favourite chefs/bakers whose work I admire and whose recipes I enjoy making. Amongst the bakers whose recipes I enjoy most are Dominque Ansel, Christina Tosi, Anna Olsen, Alyssa Tory, and Giselle Courteau. I have visited the bakeries several of those folks own or owned in the past and enjoyed some baking classes with some of them. Newly added to my list of favourites is Sally McKenney. I discovered your website several months ago and have absolutely loved trying a lot of your recipes. This morning I made the peanut butter sweetheart cookies for friends for Valentine’s Day. They are not only visually appealing but also incredibly tasty. I could compile a long list of great recipes you have shared that I’ve tried and nothing has disappointed. I recently purchased your cookbook, Sally’s Baking Addiction, to add to my collection and I am looking forward to your new one next year. Thank you for sharing your baking knowledge and the excellent tips you share. All the best to you as you continue to bless us with your expertise.
Thank you so much for your incredibly kind comment, and for naming some of your favorite bakers. (I, too, am a fan!) It’s surreal to be in a category with such talent, so thank you. Let me know any of my cookbook recipes you try. I am working on my 4th cookbook now, and that will be out in 2025. I believe it will be my best work yet!
These are delicious and gorgeous! The raspberry isn’t overpowering and the texture is great. I made larger ones with the chocolate design Sally shows and smaller ones with the drizzled white chocolate. They are perfect for gifting, too. Thank you!
Can I substitute with raspberry powder?
Hi Sarah, Absolutely! You’ll need about 1/2 cup.
Delicious! I sifted the seeds out and used the suggested 56g of dried raspberries. The flavor was a tad strong but balanced with an almond cream cheese icing. Thank you! This recipe is a keeper!
These cookies were a HUGE hit for me today on Valentine’s Day!! I dipped them in brown chocolate, white chocolate, and pink candy melts with sprinkles on top. Thank you for the recipe! Scrumptious!!
I’m not a big fan of raspberry so if I make them with freeze dried strawberries can I leave out the vanilla extract and use strawberry extract instead?
Hi Claudia! You can certainly use freeze dried strawberries instead of raspberries. There should be plenty of strawberry flavor, and we wouldn’t leave the vanilla extract out. You could try 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp strawberry extract if you would like. Let us know how it goes!
Terrific recipe! Easy to make & delicious. I made 70 small hearts and drizzled semi-sweet chocolate over them and they were a huge hit with my friends. Lots of compliments and one guy friend asked for the recipe.
I had to substitute the raspberries for strawberries but the flavor was still amazing! I took these cookies to a family reunion and my uncle ate 3 after repeatedly saying he wasn’t going to eat any more. My only gripe: these cookies came out a bit too sweet for my taste when I used the instructed one cup of sugar. In my next batch, I added around 3/4 a cup and that seemed to do the trick for me. Overall, an amazing cookie recipe! I would definitely make it again.
I’d like to do this with 2-inch cookie cutter. I see you have both 3-inch and smaller hearts. Can I do sheets with all 2-inch cookies at 350F for 12-13 min? Thanks for advice.
Hi Gail, bake time may be just slightly shorter for smaller cookies. Keep a close eye on them!
I’m not a fan of sugar cookies but I feel they deserve a spot in my Christmas treat plates so this was what I tried this year. I’m still not a fan, but my spouse liked them so much they didn’t make it out of the house.
Beautiful! I love them, and all your recipes!
I made this for a gift and they love it, I didn’t chill the dough and they keep the form pretty well.
Hi, Sally! I love your recipes and the specific instructions-the scientist in me. I made these cookies, but I have a question about measurements. My freeze dried raspberries only weighed 35 gms, but it was a whole 1.25 oz package (Target Brand), and I had about 1/2 cup. The suggested one online is also 35 gms/1.3 oz, so I went with what i had. Also the 3 cups of flour was over the gm amount. I went with the weight, since I believe it is more accurate, but for others with no scale, what would you suggest for the flour measurement?
Hi Jay, I’m just seeing this comment now and am happy to clear up any confusion. 1 cup of freeze-dried raspberries, before grinding into a powder, is about 28 grams, so 56g for 2 cups. After grinding the 2 cups down, you should have about 1/2 cup. Were the raspberries you bought already ground into a powder? 3 cups of spooned and leveled all-purpose flour is about 375g and how we tested this recipe. I usually get about 125g per 1 cup. If someone does not have a scale, use 3 cups.
I made them and they were delicious. Instead of chocolate, I made a icing glaze using Chambord. They were fabulous.
One more question…..do you strain the seeds from the raspberries?
Hi Lindsay, we don’t sift out the seeds but you certainly can if you wish. You can actually see the seeds in the close up blender picture above and, if using a high power blender, they are small enough that they aren’t noticeable in the baked cookies.
I have been looking for a flavored sugar cookie to use for a marbled royal frosting…I thought of adding freeze-dried raspberries…and found your recipe. What do you think of lemon flavored icing on these?
Hi Lindsay, lemon icing would be delicious!
I made these with freeze dried strawberry because my grocery store only carried strawberry. Overall, the cookies came out beautifully, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the taste – maybe needed more strawberry to counter the cream cheese.
Can I make these with dried raspberry powder? (It’s already in powder form)
Absolutely! You’ll need about 1/2 cup.