Make the Strawberry Crunch Topping: Pulse 1 ¼ cups of freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor until coarse powder. Crush 1 cup of Golden Oreos into fine crumbs. Combine strawberry powder, Oreo crumbs, and 3 tablespoons of softened butter in a bowl, mix until chunky, then set aside.

Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together strawberry cake mix, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. In another bowl, cream together ½ cup of butter, ½ cup of butter-flavored shortening, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, mix well after each, then fold dry ingredients into wet to form thick dough.

Bake the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop mounds of cookie dough onto the sheet, leaving space. Bake for 10–12 minutes until edges set but centers remain soft. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat 8 ounces of cream cheese and ¼ cup of butter together in a bowl until creamy. Gradually mix in 3 ½ to 4 cups of powdered sugar until thick. Add ½ tablespoon of vanilla extract, thin with 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk to desired consistency.

Assemble the Cookies: Once cooled, frost each cookie with cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping over and gently press it in for a beautiful finish.