Strawberries & Cream Cookies

You all loved my Soft, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe so I decided to create another cookie from the same cookie base but with a fruity twist! Thee cookies have vanilla pudding mix and cake flour in the dough which ensure the cookies keep their “fresh baked” feel even days later. Freeze Dried Strawberries are incorporated both in powder form and slices to get maximum strawberry flavor, without negatively effecting the texture. I use white chocolate chunks because they get super melty and the flavor doesn’t compete too much with the fresh, tangy flavor of the berries.

Recipe Yields Approx. 10-12 Cookies

Ingredients-

• 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar

• 2 Tablespoons White Granulated Sugar

• 1 Stick (1/2 Cup) of Unsalted Butter, Softened (but not melted)

• 1/3 Cup of Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix Powder (I prefer Jello Brand)

• 3 1/2 Tablespoons Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder (Can buy it online on Amazon in powder form of you can use the freeze dried strawberry pieces and grind them up in a food processor until it is a fine powder)

• 1 Large Egg

• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 Teaspoon Fine Table Salt

• 1 1/4 Cups Cake Flour (Not Self Rising! I prefer Swan brand in the red box)

• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

• 3/4 Cup White Chocolate Chunks (if you can’t find chunks you can use a White Chocolate Baking Bar and chop it up or just use white chocolate chips)

• 1/3 Cup Freeze Dried Strawberry Slices, Roughly Chopped (I Use Trader Joes Brand)

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (ideally on a convection setting). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or using an electric hand beater, blend together the Dark Brown Sugar, White Sugar and Butter until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the Pudding Mix (in powder form), the 3 1/2 Tablespoons of Freeze Dried Strawberry Powder, 1 egg and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated evenly and blend again on high for another 2-3 minutes.

3. While thats beating stir together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl- Cake Flour, Salt and Baking Soda. Set aside.

4. Gradually beat in the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed until everything is incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure it is evenly incorporated.

5. Using a rubber spatula mix in the White Chocolate Chunks and roughly chopped Freeze Dried Strawberry pieces. Just mix until combined, do not overmix.

6. Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, drop about 1.5 Tablespoon size balls of dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Make sure there is at least 1 inch in between each cookie in case they spread slightly. You want the dough to be in a fairly round, high mound before baking to ensure it gets a nice chewy consistency after baking.

7. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 8-9 minutes or until the edges are golden brown but the cookies are still a bit gooey and soft.

8. Let them cool slightly on the pan before serving. They can be enjoyed warm or cold, they will be soft and chewy regardless!

   Enjoy!