Step 1: Prepare the Cream Cheese Base In your large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together using an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and completely smooth with no lumps remaining. The cream cheese should be fully incorporated into the butter, creating a creamy foundation for your strawberry cheesecake cookies.

Step 2: Add Sugar and Wet Ingredients Add the granulated sugar to the cream cheese mixture and beat for another 2 minutes until well combined and slightly fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and strawberry extract if using, then beat until fully incorporated and the mixture appears smooth and homogeneous. If you want a pink-tinted cookie, add 2-3 drops of food coloring at this stage and mix until evenly distributed.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients In your medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent throughout your strawberry cheesecake cookies.

Step 4: Mix the Dough With your mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions, mixing just until the flour disappears after each addition. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to tough cookies. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.

Step 5: Fold in Strawberries Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in your prepared strawberries (either fresh diced or crushed freeze-dried) and graham cracker crumbs. The graham cracker crumbs add that authentic cheesecake crust flavor. Mix just until the strawberry pieces are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Step 6: Chill the Dough Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours. This chilling step is crucial for strawberry cheesecake cookies as it prevents excessive spreading during baking and makes the dough easier to handle.

Step 7: Preheat and Prepare About 10 minutes before you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.

Step 8: Shape the Cookies Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the chilled dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. You should get approximately 24 cookies from this batch. If desired, press a few additional strawberry pieces onto the tops of the cookies for visual appeal.

Step 9: Bake Bake the strawberry cheesecake cookies for 11-13 minutes, until the edges are set and just beginning to turn light golden brown. The centers will look slightly underdone, which is exactly what you want. They'll continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after removal from the oven.

Step 10: Cool Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. This resting period helps them firm up without breaking. Let them cool completely before adding any optional toppings.

Step 11: Optional Decoration If desired, drizzle melted white chocolate over the cooled cookies and dust with freeze-dried strawberry powder for an extra-special presentation that highlights the strawberry cheesecake flavor profile.