Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (225g) Unsalted Butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) Granulated Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg, room temperature
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
  • ½ cup (20g) Freeze-Dried Strawberry Powder
  • 2 ¼ cups (280g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • ½ tsp Cream of Tartar
  • ¼ tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 24 Milk Chocolate Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your trays with parchment paper.
  2. Cream the butter and granulated sugar in your mixer for 3 full minutes. Note: It should look pale and fluffy, almost like frosting.
  3. Add the egg and vanilla bean paste, beating until fully incorporated.
  4. Whisk the dry ingredients — flour, strawberry powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt — in a separate bowl.
  5. Gradually mix dry into wet on a low speed. Stop as soon as no flour streaks remain to avoid tough cookies.
  6. Scoop the dough into 24 even balls, roughly 1 inch in diameter.
  7. Roll the spheres between your palms until they are perfectly smooth.
  8. Space the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are set and the centers look slightly matte.
  10. Press the chocolate kisses into the center of each cookie immediately after removing from the oven. Note: The residual heat will soften the chocolate just enough to stick.