Prep your pans and oven. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the chocolate kisses and set them in the fridge to keep firm.

Make strawberry powder. Add freeze-dried strawberries to a blender or food processor and grind into a fine powder. You’ll want about 1/2 cup of powder. Sift if there are seeds or larger pieces.

Cream the fats and sugar. In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup unsalted butter with 2 tablespoons neutral oil and 3/4 cup sugar until fluffy, 2–3 minutes. The mixture should look pale and airy.

Add egg and extracts. Beat in 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional) until smooth. Scrape down the bowl.

Whisk dry ingredients. In another bowl, whisk 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the 1/2 cup strawberry powder.

Combine. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions. Mix on low just until a soft dough forms. If you want brighter color, mix in a small dab of pink gel food coloring.

Chill the dough. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. This helps the cookies bake up thicker and makes scooping easier.

Scoop and coat. Use a 1-tablespoon scoop to portion the dough. Roll each portion into a smooth ball, then roll in granulated sugar. Set on the baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake. Bake 9–11 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops are slightly puffy. They should not brown. Pull the pans from the oven while the centers are still soft.

Add the kisses. Wait 2 minutes, then gently press a chilled chocolate kiss into the center of each cookie. The cookie will crack slightly around the edges—that’s perfect.

Cool completely. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Allow the chocolate to firm up fully before storing.