Chocolate Strawberry Sandwich Cookies Recipe
Delight in these decadent Chocolate Strawberry Sandwich Cookies featuring rich, fudgy chocolate cookies filled with a luscious, creamy strawberry buttercream made from real freeze-dried strawberries. These treats are perfect for anyone craving a soft yet indulgent cookie with a fresh fruit twist, ideal for sharing or special occasions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 sandwich cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
The Chocolate Cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
The Strawberry Filling
- 1 1/2 cups freeze-dried strawberries
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 2/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 4–5 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, and baking soda to create the chocolate base for the cookies. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened salted butter with brown and granulated sugars until the mixture turns light, fluffy, and creamy. This step ensures a smooth, tender cookie texture.
- Add egg and vanilla: Incorporate the egg and pure vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture, beating until fully combined and smooth. Scrape down the bowl sides once or twice to ensure uniform mixing.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet butter mixture at low speed to avoid flour clouds. Then fold in the chocolate chips by hand so every cookie bite is filled with melty chocolate goodness.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for about 4 hours. Chilling allows flavors to meld, firms the dough for easier handling, and prevents excessive spreading during baking.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Scoop and bake cookies: Using a tablespoon-sized scoop, place slightly heaping balls of dough spaced 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes, or until tops appear set but centers remain soft. Avoid overbaking as cookies will firm up while cooling.
- Prepare strawberry filling: While cookies cool, pulse freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Beat softened butter until creamy, then gradually add strawberry powder, sifted powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla. Start mixing on low speed then increase to ensure a smooth, silky, strawberry-pink filling.
- Assemble sandwich cookies: Spread a generous layer of strawberry filling onto the bottom side of one cookie, then gently press another cookie on top, allowing the filling to peek slightly from the edges. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Chilling the cookie dough is essential to maintain the shape and improve flavor depth.
- Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for a richer, smoother chocolate flavor in the cookies.
- Freeze-dried strawberries add intense natural flavor and vibrant color without moisture.
- Adjust heavy cream quantity in the filling to achieve desired consistency; more cream for spreadable, less for thicker filling.
- Store assembled sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend of equal measurement.
Keywords: chocolate cookies, strawberry filling, sandwich cookies, cocoa cookies, freeze-dried strawberries, homemade cookies, dessert recipes
