Description
Decadent chocolate covered strawberry cookies featuring a tender cocoa-infused dough filled with a creamy strawberry buttercream center made from freeze-dried strawberry powder. These cookies are baked to perfection and topped with a smooth bittersweet chocolate ganache for an irresistible treat perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Dough:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (preferably Kerrygold), softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (room temperature, ~70°F)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups cake flour (such as King Arthur)
- 3/4 cup sifted cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Filling:
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 4 tbsp strawberry powder (made from crushed freeze-dried strawberries)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
For the Topping:
- 1 cup Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup cream
Instructions
- Prepare dry ingredients and filling: Sift the cocoa powder to eliminate lumps, then mix all dry ingredients (cake flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon) and set aside. Beat 8 tbsp softened butter until creamy for the filling, add strawberry powder, 1/8 tsp salt, and powdered sugar, mixing until smooth. Portion 1 tablespoon scoops of filling onto parchment paper and freeze for at least 15 minutes.
- Make cookie dough: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter with packed brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, then mix in oil and vanilla until fully combined. Gently fold in the dry ingredient blend until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- Chill dough: Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes to prevent spreading and promote even baking. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Assemble cookies: Remove dough and frozen filling from fridge and freezer. Scoop 3 tablespoons dough, flatten in palm, place one frozen filling piece in the center, then wrap dough around filling and roll into a ball. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake cookies: Bake in preheated oven at 350°F for 11-12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make chocolate topping: Combine chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring gently between each until smooth and pourable.
- Top cookies: Spoon approximately 2 teaspoons of warm chocolate ganache onto each cooled cookie and spread gently. Place cookies on parchment-lined sheet and refrigerate or let sit at room temperature until chocolate hardens (15-20 minutes at room temp or 5-10 minutes in fridge).
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs to ensure smooth mixing and prevent breaking the dough texture.
- Freezing the buttercream filling is crucial to keep a defined center inside each cookie.
- Do not overbake cookies; they continue to firm up slightly after removal from oven.
- Gently heating chocolate in intervals prevents seizing and burning.
- For softer cookies, bake closer to 11 minutes; for slightly firmer, up to 12 minutes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chocolate cookies, strawberry buttercream, chocolate covered cookies, chocolate strawberry dessert, cocoa cookies, homemade cookies, chocolate ganache topping
