Strawberry Buttercream Crunch Cookies 🍓

Step 1: Make the Vanilla Cookie Dough

1. 1In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Give it a good stir and set it aside — dry ingredients ready to go!
2. 2In your stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream together the butter, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, and vegetable oil until smooth and creamy.
3. 3Add in your egg and vanilla extract and mix until everything is beautifully combined.
4. 4Pour in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a soft, dreamy cookie dough forms.
5. 5Scoop the dough into balls using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons each) and pop them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Now here's the key to perfectly thick cookies — chill those dough balls for 30 minutes! Go enjoy a cup of tea, you deserve it. ☕
6. 6While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
7. 7Place your chilled dough balls on the prepared baking sheet with plenty of room to spread. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, until the cookies puff up in the center and the edges are still looking pale and soft. Cool on the pan for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (We know it's hard to wait, but trust us, it's worth it!)

Step 2: Whip Up That Strawberry Buttercream

1. 8Beat your room-temperature butter in the stand mixer for a full 5 minutes until it's light, fluffy, and pale. Don't rush this step because it's what makes the frosting incredibly creamy!
2. 9Add half the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until combined, then add the rest and continue mixing on low until fully incorporated. Low and slow keeps things from turning into a powdery cloud in your kitchen! 😄
3. 10Blend your freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder using a food processor or blender, then add the strawberry powder to the buttercream and mix on low until that gorgeous pink color is fully worked in. Add a drop or two of pink food coloring if you want the color to be more vibrant.
4. 11Add the vanilla extract and salt, then slowly drizzle in the heavy cream while mixing on low. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go to make sure everything is perfectly combined.
5. 12Turn the mixer up to medium and whip for 2–3 minutes until the buttercream is smooth and creamy. Then drop back to low and mix for a few more minutes to knock out any air bubbles — this gives you that silky-smooth finish that looks totally professional!

Step 3: Make the Strawberry Crunch Topping

1. 13In a small bowl, stir together the Golden Oreo crumbs, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and melted butter until everything is well combined. Set it aside because it's about to become the star of the show! 🌟

Step 4: Frost & Finish — The Fun Part! 🎉

1. 14Fill a piping bag with your gorgeous pink buttercream. You can cut the tip of the bag to form a half-inch hole, or use a Wilton 1A tip if you want ultimate control.
2. 15Pipe a swirl onto each cooled cookie (it doesn't have to be perfect!) then use an offset spatula to spread it out nice and even.
3. 16Now for the grand finale… generously sprinkle (and we mean GENEROUSLY!) the strawberry crunch topping all over the frosted cookies. Stand back and admire your work because these are absolutely stunning! 😍