Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or leave it ungreased.

In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the vanilla bean paste and mix until combined.

Gently fold in the finely chopped strawberries until evenly distributed without mashing them completely.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the strawberry mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed or with a spatula just until a soft, thick dough forms with no dry streaks of flour.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies at least 2 inches apart.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are light golden and the centers look set but still soft.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are barely warm or fully cooled, dust the tops lightly with powdered sugar before serving.