Crumbl Strawberry Cupcake Cookies (Copycat Recipe)
These Crumbl Strawberry Cupcake Cookies are soft, thick strawberry-flavored cookies topped with a fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles. With their bakery-style texture and bright pink finish, these cookies taste just like a strawberry cupcake in cookie form—perfect for birthdays, parties, or anytime you want a fun, bakery-quality treat at home.
Servings 12 large cookies
Calories 480kcal
Cost $9 for entire recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Cookie scoop (large)
- Cooling rack
- Piping bag (optional)
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons strawberry extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 drops pink food coloring
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup freeze-dried strawberry powder finely ground and sifted
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons heavy cream
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon almond extract recommended
- Pink food coloring optional
Topping
- Rainbow jimmies sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the strawberry extract, vanilla extract, and food coloring until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, sifted freeze-dried strawberry powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a thick dough forms. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it feels too soft, mix in 1–2 tablespoons of flour.
- Divide the dough into 12 large portions (about ¼ cup each). Roll into balls and gently flatten into thick discs.
- Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes to help prevent spreading.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly underbaked. The tops should remain pale and not turn golden.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
- In a separate bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Beat until thick and fluffy, adding more cream only if needed. Mix in almond extract if using.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, pipe or spread frosting onto each cookie and finish with rainbow sprinkles.
Notes
- For the best flavor, use freeze-dried strawberry powder instead of fresh strawberries. Fresh berries add too much moisture and can make the cookies spread or turn soggy.
- Sift or finely grind the strawberry powder before mixing to prevent clumps and ensure an even strawberry flavor throughout the cookies.
- Use both strawberry extract and vanilla extract to create a true “strawberry cupcake” flavor. Adding a small amount of almond extract to the frosting enhances the bakery-style taste.
- Do not skip chilling the dough. Chilling for 20–30 minutes helps create thick, soft Crumbl-style cookies and prevents spreading.
- The dough should be soft but not sticky. If your dough feels too soft, mix in 1–2 tablespoons of flour before chilling.
- Slightly underbake the cookies. The centers should look soft and pale when you remove them from the oven. This gives you that signature soft and chewy Crumbl texture.
- For the best appearance, use a large cookie scoop (about ¼ cup) to create evenly sized cookies that bake consistently.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. Frosting warm cookies will melt and lose the classic cupcake swirl look.
- For bakery-style presentation, pipe the frosting in a tall swirl and finish with rainbow jimmies sprinkles (they stay soft, unlike nonpareils).
- Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Refrigerate if frosted, and let them come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.