Soft Chewy Raspberry Sugar Cookies

My cousin showed up one Saturday morning with a flat of raspberries from the farmers market and a challenge: make something other than jam. I had butter, sugar, and a hunch that raspberries might survive being folded into cookie dough if I was gentle enough. What came out of the oven that afternoon was soft, sweet, and studded with jammy pockets of fruit that hadn't quite burst. We ate six cookies each before lunch.

I made these for a spring picnic once, packed in a tin lined with wax paper. By the time we spread the blanket out, the sun had warmed the cookies just enough to soften the raspberry pockets again. Everyone kept asking if I'd hidden jam inside. I just smiled and said the raspberries did all the work.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, softened: Let it sit on the counter for about an hour so it creams easily without turning greasy or separated.
• Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: The mix gives you chew from the brown sugar and crispness at the edges from the white, a balance worth keeping.
• Eggs, room temperature: Cold eggs can seize up the butter, so I set mine in a bowl of warm water for five minutes before cracking.
• Vanilla extract: Two teaspoons might seem like a lot, but it rounds out the berry tartness beautifully.
• All-purpose flour: Measure by spooning it into the cup and leveling off, packing it in will make the cookies dense and dry.
• Cornstarch: This is the secret to that soft, bakery-style texture that doesn't go stale overnight.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Together they give just enough lift without puffing the cookies into cakes.
• Salt: A half teaspoon balances all that sugar and makes the raspberry flavor pop.
• Fresh raspberries: Pat them very dry with paper towels or they'll bleed too much color and add unwanted moisture.
• Freeze-dried raspberries for coating: Crush them in a bag with a rolling pin, they add intense flavor and a gorgeous pink sparkle.

Instructions

Prep your pans:

Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats and preheat your oven to 350°F. Parchment keeps the bottoms from browning too fast.

Mix the dry ingredients:

Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside where you won't knock it over.

Cream the butter and sugars:

Beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed for three to four minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. This step traps air, which makes the cookies tender.

Add eggs and vanilla:

Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at a time, letting each one blend in before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla until the batter smells like a bakery.

Incorporate the flour:

Add the dry mixture gradually on low speed, mixing just until no white streaks remain. Overmixing here will make the cookies tough.

Fold in the raspberries:

Use a rubber spatula and a light hand to fold in the fresh raspberries. Some will break and stain the dough pink, that's exactly what you want.

Prepare the coating:

Stir together the granulated sugar and crushed freeze-dried raspberries in a small bowl. The color should be rosy and fragrant.

Scoop and roll:

Use a cookie scoop to portion the dough, then roll each piece into a smooth ball and coat it thoroughly in the raspberry sugar. Place them two inches apart on the baking sheets.

Bake:

Bake for ten to twelve minutes, pulling them out when the edges are set but the centers still look a little underdone. They'll firm up as they cool.

Cool properly:

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for five full minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This resting time is what keeps them from crumbling apart.

Save

A friend once told me these cookies reminded her of summer camp, even though she'd never had anything like them there. I think it's the way the raspberries taste like a memory of something sweet and fleeting. Food has a way of doing that, landing somewhere deeper than taste.

How to Store and Freeze

Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, slipping a piece of parchment between layers if you stack them. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a freezer bag for up to three months, they thaw in about twenty minutes on the counter. You can also freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray, then transfer them to a bag and bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Flavor Variations to Try

Swap the raspberries for blackberries or chopped strawberries if that's what you have, just make sure they're dry. For a citrus twist, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough and roll the cookies in lemon sugar instead. If you want a richer flavor, stir in a handful of white chocolate chips along with the berries. I've also tucked a small spoonful of raspberry jam into the center of each dough ball before rolling, it bakes into a molten surprise.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your cookies spread too much, the butter was likely too soft or the dough wasn't chilled long enough. If they turn out cakey instead of chewy, you may have added too much flour or overbaked them. If the raspberries sink to the bottom, try tossing them lightly in flour before folding them in, it helps them stay suspended.

• Use a kitchen scale to measure flour for the most consistent results.
• Rotate your baking sheets halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
• Let the cookies cool completely before storing or they'll steam and lose their texture.

Save

These cookies don't need an occasion, but they always seem to create one. Bake them when you want something that tastes like effort but doesn't ask for much.

Questions & Answers

→ What makes these cookies chewy?

Cornstarch in the dry ingredients creates that signature chewy texture, while the combination of brown sugar and butter ensures tenderness. Avoiding overmixing and removing cookies while centers look slightly underbaked also maintains softness.

→ Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh?

Fresh raspberries work best as frozen ones release excess moisture during baking, potentially making cookies soggy. If needed, substitute with crushed freeze-dried raspberries mixed directly into the dough for intense flavor without extra liquid.

→ Should I chill the dough before baking?

Chilling for 30 minutes helps cookies hold their shape and enhances flavor development. The butter firms up, preventing excessive spreading in the oven and resulting in thicker, more tender cookies.

→ How do I know when the cookies are done?

Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges appear set and lightly golden, while centers still look slightly underbaked. They continue cooking on the hot baking sheet during the 5-minute rest period, achieving perfect texture throughout.

→ What's the purpose of rolling cookies in sugar?

The sugar coating creates a crackly, sparkly crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior. Adding crushed freeze-dried raspberries intensifies the berry flavor and gives the exterior a lovely pink hue.

→ How should I store these raspberry cookies?

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze individually wrapped cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.