Okay, who doesn’t love chocolate covered strawberries? Seriously! That combo of rich chocolate and sweet, slightly tart strawberry? It’s just *chef’s kiss*. That’s why I’m SO excited to share my recipe for **Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies**! They’re basically a cookie version of that classic treat, and trust me, they’re a total game-changer.
I remember the first time I had a really *good* chocolate covered strawberry. It was at a farmer’s market, and the strawberries were HUGE. One bite, and I was hooked! These cookies give you that same amazing flavor, but in a fun, portable, and dare I say, even *more* addictive form. Perfect for parties, holidays, or, you know, just a Tuesday night. You gotta try these!
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
Okay, so why should you even bother making these cookies? Let me tell you! They’re:
- Super soft and chewy – not those crunchy, boring cookies!
- Bursting with that amazing chocolate-strawberry flavor combo.
- Surprisingly easy to make (don’t let the filling scare you!).
- Seriously gorgeous – perfect for showing off!
Deliciously Soft Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
Seriously, the texture is EVERYTHING. These aren’t your average crispy cookies. The cake flour makes them incredibly soft and almost melt-in-your-mouth. And that soft cookie with the strawberry filling? It’s like a little cloud of deliciousness. Trust me, that texture is what makes these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies extra special!
Intense Chocolate and Strawberry Flavor in Every Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookie
We’re not skimping on flavor here! The Dutch cocoa gives the cookies a rich, deep chocolate taste that isn’t too sweet. Then, BAM! The freeze-dried strawberry powder in the filling delivers a concentrated burst of strawberry that’s just…wow. The two flavors together? Perfection! It’s a balance of sweet, slightly tart, and totally addictive. You’ll be hooked, I promise!
Ingredients for Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
Alright, let’s talk ingredients! Don’t get scared by the list, I promise it’s all pretty straightforward. We’re breaking it down into the cookie dough, the strawberry filling, and that luscious chocolate ganache. I always measure everything out before I start, it just makes things easier, you know?
Cookie Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter, softened (like, *really* soft!)
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, firmly packed (that’s important!)
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred (they blend better, trust me)
- 2 Tablespoons neutral cooking oil (I use avocado, but canola or vegetable works too)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the *good* stuff!)
- 3 1/2 cups (394g) cake flour
- 2/3 cup (70g) Dutch cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
Strawberry Filling Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter (again, softened!)
- 4 Tablespoons (24g) freeze dried strawberry powder (more on this later!)
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt
- 1 1/3 cups (165g) powdered sugar
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
- 1 cup (170g) semi sweet or couverture chocolate (chopped, if it’s a big block)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
How to Prepare Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies: Step-by-Step Instructions
Okay, here’s where the magic happens! Don’t worry, I’ll walk you through it. Just take it one step at a time, and you’ll be chowing down on these beauties in no time!
- First, cream together your softened butter and both sugars (brown and granulated). Get it all in a bowl and beat it until it’s light and fluffy. I usually start on low speed so I don’t get a sugar cloud explosion, then crank it up!
- Next, add in your eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix it all together on low until it’s just combined. Don’t overmix!
- In a separate bowl, whisk together your cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This just makes sure everything’s evenly distributed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. You don’t want any pockets of flour!
- Now, this is important: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for *at least* 30 minutes. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too thin while baking. While the dough is chilling, get started on that strawberry filling!
- For the filling: Beat your softened butter on high speed until it’s nice and creamy.
- Add the strawberry powder and salt, and mix it on low speed. The powder can be a little messy, so go slow!
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until it’s all combined. It will seem like a LOT of powdered sugar, but trust me, it works!
- Scoop the filling into 1 Tablespoon-sized dollops (about 14g each) onto a baking sheet. Pop them in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. This makes them easier to work with later. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Parchment paper is your friend!
- Scoop the cookie dough into 3 Tablespoon-sized scoops (about 58g each). Roll it gently between your palms to form a ball. Use your thumb to make a crater in the center of each ball.
- Take one frozen dollop of strawberry filling and press it firmly into the center of the dough crater. Then, roll the dough over the filling to completely conceal it, centering the filling as best you can. Roll it between your palms again to form a smooth, even ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies at least 2 inches apart. They will spread a little!
- Bake for 11-12 minutes. The centers might look slightly underbaked, and that’s okay! They’ll continue to set as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Then, get ready for the grand finale: the chocolate topping!
- Combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave on high for 25 seconds, then stir well. If needed, return to the microwave for another 15 seconds. Whisk it all together until the ganache is smooth and glossy. If it’s still not smooth, microwave in 10-second intervals, stirring in between. Careful not to burn it!
- Let the ganache cool for a few minutes so it’s not too thin or runny. Then, top each cookie with about 2 teaspoons of ganache, spreading it evenly over the top with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Now comes the hardest part: waiting! Let the ganache harden completely before you dive in. Enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
Want to make sure your Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies are total showstoppers? Here are a few of my best tips! Chilling that dough is KEY – don’t skip it! It really helps with the texture and keeps them from spreading too much.
Also, use good quality chocolate for your ganache. It makes a HUGE difference in the flavor. I love using semi-sweet, but dark chocolate would be amazing too! And finally, if you have any leftovers (doubtful!), store them in an airtight container. They’ll stay good for a couple of days, but honestly, they’re best enjoyed fresh!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
Okay, let’s talk about some of these ingredients, and what you can do if you’re missing something! First up: cake flour. It’s what gives these cookies that super soft texture. But if you don’t have it, don’t panic! You can totally make your own. Just use 3 cups of all-purpose flour (375g) and mix in 2 Tablespoons (16g) of cornstarch. Works like a charm!
And what about that freeze-dried strawberry powder? You *need* freeze-dried, not dehydrated, strawberries for this. They have way more flavor! Just throw them in your food processor and pulse until they’re a fine powder. You probably won’t even use a whole 1-ounce package! If you can’t find it, well, these just won’t be Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies. But you could try another flavor filling!
FAQ About Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
Got questions about these **Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies**? I figured you might! Here are a few of the most common things people ask me:
Q: Can I use fresh strawberries in the filling?
A: Okay, here’s the thing: fresh strawberries have too much moisture. They’ll make the filling runny and the cookies soggy. That’s why we use freeze-dried strawberry powder – it gives you that intense strawberry flavor without the extra liquid!
Q: How long do these cookies last?
A: Honestly? Not long in *my* house! But if you manage to resist eating them all in one sitting, they’ll keep in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days. After that, I’d pop them in the fridge to keep them fresh for a few more days. But they’re always best fresh!
Q: Can I freeze the cookie dough?
A: Absolutely! That’s a great way to get ahead. Just scoop the dough into balls, flatten them slightly, and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once they’re frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen – just add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time. How easy is that?
Estimated Nutritional Information for Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
Okay, so here’s the deal: I’m no nutritionist, but each **Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookie** is roughly around 350 calories. You’re also looking at about 20g of fat, 3g of protein, and 40g of carbs. But hey, it’s an estimate, and totally worth it, right?
Enjoy Your Homemade Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
So there you have it! I hope you love these **Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies** as much as I do! Be sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think! And hey, share a photo on social media – I’d love to see your creations!
Heavenly Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies, 1 Secret
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
- Yield: 19 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies are a delightful treat. They combine the flavors of chocolate and strawberry in a soft cookie.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- 2 Tablespoons neutral cooking oil (avocado, canola, or vegetable oil)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups (394 g) cake flour
- 2/3 cup (70 g) Dutch cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 8 Tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter (for filling)
- 4 Tablespoons (24 g) freeze dried strawberry powder
- 1/8 teaspoon table salt (for filling)
- 1 1/3 cups (165 g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup (170 g) semi sweet or couverture chocolate
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Beat butter and sugars until combined. Increase mixer speed and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, oil, and vanilla extract and stir on low speed to combine all ingredients. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Gradually add dry ingredients into the wet, mixing on low speed until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes. While chilling, prepare your strawberry filling.
- Beat butter on high speed until creamy.
- Add strawberry powder and salt and stir on low speed to mix thoroughly together.
- Gradually add sugar, mixing on low speed until completely combined.
- Scoop filling by 1 Tablespoon (14g) scoops onto baking sheet and place in freezer to freeze for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop cookie dough into 3 Tablespoon (58g) sized scoops. Roll gently between your palms to form a ball and use your thumb to make a crater into the center of the cookie dough. Take one dollop of filling and press firmly into the center of the dough, then roll the dough over the dollop to completely conceal and center the filling. Roll between your palms to form a smooth even ball and place on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2 inches (5cm) apart.
- Bake for 11 to 12 minutes. Centers may appear slightly underbaked.
- Allow cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack and covering with chocolate topping.
- Combine chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high for 25 seconds, stir well, and if needed return to microwave for another 15 seconds. Use a whisk to whisk together until ganache is smooth. If needed return to microwave in 10 second intervals. Allow ganache to cool for several minutes so it is not too thin or runny before using.
- Top each cookie with approximately 2 teaspoons of ganache and use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread evenly over top. Allow ganache to harden before enjoying.
Notes
- Cake flour: Substitute 3 cups all purpose flour (375g) plus 2 Tablespoons (16g) cornstarch.
- Freeze dried strawberries: Use freeze dried and not dehydrated strawberries. Pulverize them in your food processor until they are a fine dust. You will need less than a 1 ounce package of strawberries.
- Storing: Store in an airtight container. Cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days but should be refrigerated beyond this.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 50mg