Celebrate this Easter sweetly.

Are you having friends and family over this Easter?   Then you need to give your dinner menu some thought.   For the best way to finish off your Easter feast, try serving up these strawberry shortcake cookies.   This hybrid dessert recipe is sure to impress all your guests this Easter Sunday.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Serves 12 Ingredients: (for the cookie dough)

• Cooking spray
• 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• (for the filling)
• 4 tbsp. cream cheese, softened
• 3 tbsp. powdered sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and grease with cooking spray.
• Make cookie dough: In a small bowl, stir strawberries, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until combined. Let sit 10 minutes, then drain.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, remaining ½ cup sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.   Beat in egg and vanilla extract, then stir in flour mixture until just combined.
• Using a wooden spoon, very gently fold in strawberries. Set aside.
• Make filling: Line a large plate or baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest until smooth.   Scoop into 12 small balls (about 1 ½ teaspoons each) and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop heaping tablespoons of dough (about 24 balls) and flatten into pancake-like circles on the baking sheet. Place cream cheese filling on top of 12 pieces of dough.   Place remaining dough on top of filling and pinch edges together.   Roll gently into balls.
• Arrange stuffed cookie dough balls 2-inches apart on baking sheets and bake until cookies are set and just golden around edges, about 18 minutes.

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