Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies Recipe
These Easy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies feature a rich cocoa dough wrapped around a luscious strawberry powder buttercream filling, topped with a smooth bittersweet chocolate ganache. Perfectly soft with a chocolatey exterior and a fruity surprise inside, they’re a delightful twist on classic sandwich cookies.
- Author: Elias
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Dough:
- 1 cup butter (unsalted, preferably Kerrygold), softened
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed firmly)
- 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
Filling:
- 8 tbsp butter (softened)
- 4 tbsp strawberry powder (from crushed freeze-dried berries)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
Topping:
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 60% cacao recommended)
- 1/4 cup cream
- Prepare Dry Ingredients and Filling: Sift the cocoa powder to remove lumps. Measure and combine the dry ingredients: cake flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. In a separate bowl, beat 8 tablespoons of softened butter until creamy, then add strawberry powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the filling onto parchment paper and freeze for at least 15 minutes to firm up the centers.
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing 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, mixing well after each addition to maintain a smooth texture. Stir in oil and vanilla extract until fully combined. Gently fold in the dry ingredient mixture until just combined, careful not to overmix to keep the dough tender.
- Chill the Dough: Transfer the dough to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes. This chilling step prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking and helps them cook evenly. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Assemble the Cookies: Remove the chilled dough and frozen filling from the refrigerator and freezer. Scoop about 3 tablespoons of dough, flatten slightly in your palm, place one frozen strawberry filling piece in the center, then gently wrap the dough around the filling to seal and roll into a smooth ball. Place the dough balls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F for 11-12 minutes, until the edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool, so avoid overbaking to preserve softness inside.
- Cool Cookies: Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Chocolate Topping: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and cream. Heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until the mixture is smooth and pourable. This gradual heating prevents the chocolate from seizing or burning.
- Glaze Cookies: Using a spoon, dollop about 2 teaspoons of the warm chocolate ganache onto each cooled cookie. Spread slightly with the back of the spoon or a small offset spatula. Place the chocolate-coated cookies on parchment-lined trays and refrigerate or leave at room temperature until the chocolate hardens—about 15-20 minutes at room temp or 5-10 minutes in the fridge.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs helps the dough blend smoothly without separating.
- Freezing the filling before assembling keeps a nice strawberry surprise inside each cookie.
- Chilling the dough prevents spreading and promotes even baking.
- Sifting the cocoa powder removes lumps for a smoother dough texture.
- Be careful not to overbake; cookies should be slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven.
- Gently warming chocolate with cream creates a silky ganache, perfect for coating.
Keywords: chocolate cookie, strawberry buttercream, chocolate covered cookies, easy dessert, sandwich cookies, chocolate strawberry dessert