STRAWBERRY RICOTTA COOKIE BARS (2024)

Freeze-dried fruit is an it girl. And frankly, she needs to fire her agent for not getting her a place at the table in Charli XCX’s “360” music video. In my house, she’s everywhere! She’s so Julia!

She can pump up any party (or recipe), and is never out-of-season; so stylish! The perfect ingredient to get help ya get a hit of summer flavor year-round.

No seriously, I always have a variety on hand to experiment with or snack on. Try throwing some strawberries or blueberries into your morning bowl of cereal or yogurt for a bright bit of texture. Add some raspberries to a bottle of gin, give it a whirl in the blender, and strain it for a brightly colored infused booze without any of the unwanted water content of fresh fruit. Roast some banana, crush it up into a powder and fold it into the whipped cream for your banana pudding to double down on the caramelly flavor. The possibilities are endless.

She’s my inspiration! My muse! So naturally, for my return to blogging, I just haaaaaaad to pick something that had freeze-dried fruit at the center.

*enter these Strawberry Ricotta Cookie Bars*

A few years ago, I developed this Ricotta Olive Oil Cake, topped with Black Pepper Strawberry Jam, and it became one of my favorite summer recipes. I wanted to use the same flavor profile, but on something that was more shareable and easy to transport when all you it girls are inevitably running from picnic, to barbecue, to pool party all summer long.

The base of these is an incredibly fluffy, but moist, cookie with a nice salt content, thanks to the ricotta. I also massage lemon zest into the sugar to make sure the cookie tastes as bright as its scarlet topping. I frost the cookie bars with a lemony ricotta buttercream that has a bit of freeze-dried strawberry folded in. The rest of the fruit powder is then dusted over the top of the cookies in a bright red cloud.

The result is a delightfully tart and tangy treat, perfect for some fun in the sun.

Pick up some freeze-dried fruit (Trader Joe’s and Target are both great places to find it relatively cheap)! Bump Brat! And join all the other hotties who will be making these this summer (and fall, and winter, and spring, and then next summer, and… you get it).

Ah-ah, aaaaaah!

makes one 9x13 tray of cookie bars

Ingredients:

For the cookie bars:

• 3 cups (384g) all-purpose flour

• 1.5 tsp (6g) baking powder

• 1 tsp (4g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt

• 1 cup (220g) whole milk ricotta

• ~3 tbsp (45g) lemon juice, from one large lemon

• 1 tbsp (12g) pure vanilla extract

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• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• ~1 tbsp (6g) lemon zest from one large lemon

• 16 tbsp (2 sticks/226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 1 large (50g) egg

For the frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups (34g) freeze-dried strawberries**

• 8 tbsp (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• 2 1/2 cups (300g) powdered sugar

• 1/4 cup (55g) whole milk ricotta

• ~1 tbsp (15g) lemon juice, from half of a large lemon

• 1 tsp (4g) pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat & prep: Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13in cake pan with neutral oil, and line with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on the long sides to help you easily lift out the cake later.

2. Whisk together your dry ingredients: In a large bowl whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and whole milk ricotta.

3. Whisk together your wet ingredients: In a measuring cup whisk together your ricotta, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.

4. Make your dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, massage the lemon zest into the sugar by rubbing between your fingers to release any oils until it resembles wet sand. Add in your butter and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add in your egg and beat on medium-high for an additional minute. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add your measuring cup of wet ingredients. Slowly pulse the mixer to incorporate before beating on low until fully combined, 1 minute. Turn off the mixer, add in your dry ingredients and pulse the mixer until they are fully incorporated.

5. Bake: Transfer the dough to your prepared pan and spread into an even layer using an offset spatula. Place on the middle rack of your oven and bake until fully golden and slightly puffed, 33-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in pan.

6. Blitz your berries: While your cake is cooling, blitz your freeze dried strawberries in a food processor or spice grinder until they are a fine powder. Dump into a small container or bowl and set aside.

7. Make your frosting: Add your butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment and beat on medium-high until it is lighter in color, 1-2 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add your powdered sugar (put a towel over it to prevent turning your kitchen into a winter wonderland) and pulse the mixer a few times to incorporate. Once combined, beat on high until white in color and light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add in your ricotta, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat on high to incorporate, 1 minute. Finally add half of the pulverized strawberry powder (be sure to set aside the other half for decoration purposes) and beat in on high for 1 more minute.

8. Decorate & serve: Dump your frosting onto your fully cooled cookie and spread into an even layer using an offset spatula. Using a mesh strainer, dust the remaining strawberry powder over your cookie in an even layer. Cut into bars and enjoy!

9. Leftovers?: Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature, or 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

Notes:

*If you’re using any other type or brand of salt (i.e. Morton, or sea salt), I suggest scaling back to 1/2 tsp.
**Though I call for strawberry, these are delish with some other freeze-dried fruits swapped in. Try blueberry, raspberry, or peach!