Strawberry Cookie Sandwiches (perfectly pink)

So ever since my cousin RJ from California suggested that I find (and bake) the perfect strawberry shortbread cookies, I've been on the hunt for a really good one. I finally found this on one of my favorite baking blogs. I tried the recipe to the tee and loved it. It was delicious! But it has a lot of flour and got a little shortbread-y for me that I decided to tweak it my way. My cookie photos aren't as good as Heather's but the cookie is wonderful. If you love shortbread, then follow Heather's recipe. If you want it a little thinner and chewier, then follow mine. Either way, you are going to love this one.

Strawberry Cookie Sandwiches
(adapted from Sprinkle Bakes)

For the cookies:

1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries (the riper the better)
1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter (cubed)
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening (I used Crisco)
red food coloring
1/4 cup sanding sugar (or sugar sprinkles)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Sift sugar and flour in the bowl of an electric mixer.
3. Using the paddle attachment, mix together the flour/sugar mixture, the cubed butter, and crisco until fine crumbs form.
4. Stir in strawberries, white chocolate chips and a few drops of the red food coloring until you get your desired light pink color. DO NOT OVERMIX.
5. On a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper, shaped the dough in 1 inch balls. Dip one side in the sanding sugar and flatten on cookie sheet with your palm, sugar side up. Space out the dough 2 inches from each other.
6. Bake for around 15-18 minutes until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool completely.

For the filling:

1 stick room temperature unsalted butter
1 to 1 1/2 cup sifted confectioner's sugar (depends on how thick you want the filling)
1/8 cup strawberry puree (I use Squeezy Fruit Strawberry) or just make your own

1. Mix all ingredients together. If you want to make it thicker, add more sugar. If you want to make it thinner, add more strawberry puree. I like mine on the thinner side so it's not too sweet.
2. Spread a little of the filling on the underside of one cookie. Top with another so it forms a sandwich.
3. Enjoy!!!
(don't forget that these cookies are made with real strawberries so they need to be refrigerated)

It's yummy...

It melts in your mouth...

It's yummy good!

Thanks to my friend Mary Lou for giving me these beautiful pink roses on my birthday!
I had to capture their perfection. You made my day.