Step 1: Prepare the Shortcake Crumbs

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and baking powder until well combined. Add the canola or vegetable oil and clear vanilla extract. Use your hands or a fork to mix the ingredients until crumbly. The mixture should resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Spread the crumb mixture evenly onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown and lightly toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, gently break the crumbs apart with your fingers or a fork to achieve a uniform crumb texture. Set aside ½ cup of the prepared shortcake crumbs for the cookie dough.

Step 2: Prepare the Strawberries

While the shortcake crumbs are cooling, prepare the strawberries. In a small bowl, gently toss the diced fresh strawberries with the lemon juice. The lemon juice helps to prevent the strawberries from becoming overly mushy and enhances their natural sweetness. Set the strawberry mixture aside. If the strawberries are particularly juicy, you may want to strain off some of the excess juice before adding them to the cookie dough. This will prevent the cookies from becoming soggy.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat the mixture on medium speed for approximately three minutes, or until it is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for creating a tender cookie, as it incorporates air into the batter. Scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally ensures that all the ingredients are evenly mixed.

Step 4: Incorporate the Eggs and Vanilla

Add the large egg and large egg yolk to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Beat on medium speed until just combined. Then, add the vanilla extract and beat again until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage, as overmixing can lead to tough cookies. The egg yolk adds richness and tenderness to the cookies.

Step 5: Add the Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder. This ensures that the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour, resulting in a consistent rise in the cookies. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until almost combined. Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing the dough at this stage can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough cookies.

Step 6: Fold in the Shortcake Crumbs and Strawberries

Gently fold in the reserved shortcake crumbs and the diced strawberries to the cookie dough. Be careful not to overmix, as this can crush the strawberries and cause them to bleed into the dough. If you strained any excess juice from the strawberries, discard the juice.

Step 7: Scoop and Chill the Dough

Using a medium (2-tablespoon) cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 2-3 inches between each cookie. You can also use a large (3-tablespoon) cookie scoop for larger, bakery-style cookies. Gently press more shortcake crumbs onto the tops of each dough ball. This will add extra texture and flavor to the cookies. Once the dough is scooped and topped with shortcake crumbs, chill the baking sheet in the freezer for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight. Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

Step 8: Bake the Cookies

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Bake the chilled cookies, spaced 2-3 inches apart on the baking sheet, for 9-11 minutes for standard-sized cookies, or 12-14 minutes for large cookies. The cookies are done when the edges are just starting to turn golden brown, and the centers are set. Be careful not to overbake the cookies, as they will continue to firm up as they cool.

Step 9: Cool and Garnish (Optional)

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. After baking, you can press more shortcake crumbs into the tops of the cookies and add more diced strawberries for extra visual appeal and flavor