Strawberry Cookies

Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add the two eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add them to the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Remove about half of the dough and place it in a separate bowl. Add the strawberry powder to the main bowl and mix with the dough until it is a solid pink color. Cover both the doughs and refrigerate them for at least two hours.

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. For an abstract cookie design, combine one small spoonful of pink dough and one small spoonful of plain dough and roll them into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly and place on the cookie sheet.

For a spiral, dust a flat surface and a rolling pin with flour, then roll each dough into a rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Place one color on top of the other. Brush a small amount of water on the top color, then roll the dough into a tight log, beginning with one of the small sides of the rectangle. Slice the log into ¾ inch cookies.

You should be able to fit 8 cookies on a cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 9 to 10 minutes, just until the edges start to brown. Let them cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then place on a cooling rack until completely cool.