Classic Red 'N' Whites

Cream cheese in the dough is the move here. It softens the crumb of a basic shortbread and adds a faint tang that plays beautifully against the sweetness of ripe strawberries.

The cookie itself is barely sweet, which is the point. Half a cup of sugar in two cups of flour means the fruit on top does the talking. As the strawberry half bakes, it slumps and softens into a glossy, jammy button on each cookie.

Work the dough soft, not stiff. Beating the butter and cream cheese until smooth before adding flour keeps the crumb fine. Roll the balls between your palms quickly so the butter doesn’t melt, and press the cut side of each strawberry down firmly into the dimple so it bonds as it bakes.

Pull them when the edges are barely blonde. Overbaking dries out the buttery base and weeps the fruit.

Kitchen Tips

• Hull and halve strawberries right before baking. Cut too early and they leak juice onto the dough.
• Make a deep dimple with your thumb or the back of a wooden spoon. A shallow dent lets the berry pop off.
• Choose small ripe berries. Giant ones overwhelm the cookie and stay watery in the center.
• Cool fully on a rack before stacking, otherwise the strawberry juice softens the bottoms.

Variations

• Swap fresh strawberries for halved raspberries or a teaspoon of raspberry jam in each well.
• Dust the cooled cookies with confectioners sugar for a snowy finish.
• Add ½ teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a brighter, more aromatic cookie.