Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies Recipe
These Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies combine a rich cocoa-flavored buttery dough with a luscious freeze-dried strawberry buttercream center, all topped with a smooth bittersweet chocolate coating. Perfectly soft with a surprise fruity filling inside, these cookies offer an elegant twist on a classic treat ideal for any occasion.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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 (about 70°F)
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups cake flour (King Arthur recommended)
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Filling:
- 8 tbsp butter, softened
- 4 tbsp strawberry powder (from crushed freeze-dried strawberries)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
For the Topping:
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao, Ghirardelli recommended)
- 1/4 cup cream
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients and Filling: Sift the cocoa powder to remove lumps, then combine all dry dough ingredients (cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon) in a bowl. For the filling, beat 8 tablespoons of softened butter until creamy, then blend in strawberry powder, salt, and powdered sugar until smooth. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions onto parchment paper and freeze at least 15 minutes to set.
- Make the Dough: In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter with packed brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the room temperature eggs one at a time, followed by oil and vanilla extract until combined. Gently fold in the dry ingredient mixture just until incorporated, avoiding overmixing for a tender crumb.
- Chill the Dough: Transfer the dough to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Chilling prevents spreading and results in even baking.
- Assemble the Cookies: Remove dough and frozen filling from fridge and freezer. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough, flatten slightly in your palm, place one frozen strawberry filling ball in the center, fold dough around, and roll into a ball. Arrange cookies spaced 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated 350°F oven for 11-12 minutes until set but still slightly soft in the center. The cookies will finish setting as they cool, so avoid overbaking.
- Cool Before Coating: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Chocolate Coating: Melt chocolate chips and cream together in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth and pourable. This gentle melting prevents burning.
- Coat Cookies: Spoon ~2 teaspoons of melted chocolate atop each cooled cookie and spread slightly. Place on parchment and refrigerate or leave at room temperature until chocolate hardens (15-20 minutes at room temp or 5-10 minutes refrigerated).
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs to ensure smooth integration into dough without curdling.
- Freezing the buttercream filling before assembly creates a delightful surprise center that holds shape during baking.
- Do not overbake cookies; they should be slightly soft when removed to maintain chewy texture.
- Chilling dough before baking prevents excessive spreading for uniformly shaped cookies.
- For the chocolate coating, use a gentle microwaving technique and stir frequently to avoid seizing.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Keywords: chocolate cookies, strawberry filling, chocolate covered cookies, cocoa cookies, buttercream filled cookies, homemade cookies
