It’s Spring! Grocery stores are filling up with fresh, often locally-grown strawberries. My strawberry patch is beginning to flower, and soon I will be able to pick that wonderful fruit- the strawberry! Fresh strawberries, lemonade with fresh strawberries, strawberry cake, strawberry bread (recipes coming soon), and of course, strawberry cookies!
The Inside Scoop
When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of flour is 120 grams, as indicated on the package of flour. The “scoop and fill” method of filling a measuring cup will add too much flour. However, if you do not have a food scale, sift the flour 3 times, then gently spoon it into a measuring cup and use the edge of a knife to level the measuring cup.
This is a very easy cookie to make. However, avoid over-stirring the cookie dough. Too much stirring will incorporate excess air and make a more cake-like cookie, rather than a chewy cookie. Stir gently just until ingredients are combined and cookie dough is fairly smooth.
Strawberry Fields forever!
Sadly, strawberries tend to lose much of their flavor when they are part of a baked food, such as cake or cookies. To enhance the strawberry flavor, I chopped the strawberries into small pieces, and then partially dried them in the oven. The chopped strawberries had a soft, chewy texture, and the strawberry flavor was more concentrated. For the same reason, I pureed some of the strawberries, and then cooked them over low heat to reduce them to a thickness about half-way between tomato sauce and tomato paste. This cookies has FLAVOR!
I’m nuts about nuts!
I couldn’t stop with just the strawberries, though; I had to add almonds! Prebaking almonds slightly before adding them to the batter enhances their flavor and aroma, and prevents the nuts from getting a little soggy in the wet batter.
You’re such a softie! Let butter soften to a cool room temperature. To soften quickly, place the stick of wrapped butter in a microwave and microwave on low heat until slightly softened but not melted. This typically takes approximately 10 seconds. Leaving the butter in the original paper helps it soften evenly.
Getting “Eggcited” about eggs? Be sure eggs are at room temperature. Warm eggs are easier to whisk than cold eggs. Why do eggs need to be whisked? Eggs contain protein which act as “binders” in most cookies; they help hold cookies together. The protein breaks apart when eggs are whisked. When the whisked eggs are added to the cookie dough, the protein molecules will try to bind with other protein molecules, thus keeping the cookie from being crumbly. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature before cracking, place eggs in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.
Crack eggs into a small bowl before adding to the batter. That way, it is easy to remove any bits of eggshell or bloody eggs.
An intensely flavorful strawberry cookie accented with almonds and white chocolate chips. To Reduce the Strawberries: Place the pureed strawberries in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let puree come to a low simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until the thickness of the puree is about half-way between tomato sauce and tomato paste. There should be about 100 g. of puree. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Chill until ready to use. To Make the Dried Strawberries: Hull and chop the strawberries into approximately 1/8” pieces. There should be about 400 g./ 14 ounces of strawberries. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the chopped strawberries onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15-17 minutes, until strawberries look drier, but are still soft, and there is little to no standing water. Cool completely. There should be about 200 g./ 7 ounces of chopped strawberries. To Make the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the almonds on one baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes until aroma rises and almonds are just starting to brown; remove from oven; cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the prepared strawberries with 30 g./ ¼ c. all-purpose flour; set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together the remaining 150 g./ 1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In a medium bowl by hand, or in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed, cream together the slightly softened butter and sugar. Add 100 grams of the reduced strawberry puree, almond extract, lemon juice, and red food coloring until completely combined. By hand, stir in the flour mix until combined. Fold in the prepared soft-dried strawberries, almonds, and white chocolate chips. For each cookie, measure out 1 ½ ounces of cookie dough, leaving 3” between cookies. Bake at 325 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until cookies are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to firm, then transfer to a cooling rack; cool completely. Enjoy!Double Strawberry, Almond, and White Chocolate Cookies
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An intensely flavorful strawberry cookie accented with almonds and white chocolate chips. To Reduce the Strawberries: Place the pureed strawberries in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Let puree come to a low simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer until the thickness of the puree is about half-way between tomato sauce and tomato paste. There should be about 100 g. of puree. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Chill until ready to use. To Make the Dried Strawberries: Hull and chop the strawberries into approximately 1/8” pieces. There should be about 400 g./ 14 ounces of strawberries. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the chopped strawberries onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 for about 15-17 minutes, until strawberries look drier, but are still soft, and there is little to no standing water. Cool completely. There should be about 200 g./ 7 ounces of chopped strawberries. To Make the Cookies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the almonds on one baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes until aroma rises and almonds are just starting to brown; remove from oven; cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the prepared strawberries with 30 g./ ¼ c. all-purpose flour; set aside. In another small bowl, whisk together the remaining 150 g./ 1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In a medium bowl by hand, or in the bowl of a stand mixer on low speed, cream together the slightly softened butter and sugar. Add 100 grams of the reduced strawberry puree, almond extract, lemon juice, and red food coloring until completely combined. By hand, stir in the flour mix until combined. Fold in the prepared soft-dried strawberries, almonds, and white chocolate chips. For each cookie, measure out 1 ½ ounces of cookie dough, leaving 3” between cookies. Bake at 325 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until cookies are firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 2 minutes to firm, then transfer to a cooling rack; cool completely. Enjoy!Double Strawberry, Almond, and White Chocolate Cookies
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