These Strawberry Chocolate Cookies have a rich soft and chewy chocolate strawberry cookie base covered with a sweet strawberry buttercream and then topped with a luscious chocolate ganache and a fresh strawberry. They taste like biting into a chocolate covered strawberry brownie! The sweetness of strawberries and the decadence of chocolate create the most perfect flavor combo in every bite! Best yet, these frosted cookies are gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be made vegan! If you're a chocolate covered strawberry lover like I am, these chocolate cookies are for you!
Chocolate covered strawberries, but in cookie form? That is what these Strawberry Chocolate Cookies are! These delicious treats are perfect for so many occasions or just because! Not only are they delicious but they are so stunning; they will wow all your family and friends! The cookie dough is super simple to make...no mixer is required and since we don't need a lot of frosting, you can make the strawberry buttercream without a mixer as well!
For more strawberry and chocolate recipes, check out my Chocolate Strawberry Whoopie Pies, my Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake, my Strawberry Red Velvet Cake and my Nut Free Chocolate Spread!
Reasons to Love These Strawberry Chocolate Cookies
- Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
- Soft & Chewy Inside- These cookies are super chewy in the middle!
- Chocolate Covered Strawberry Flavor- These cookies taste like a mix between a chocolate covered strawberry and a brownie!
- No Mixer Required- You don't need a mixer of any kind to make the cookie dough and the frosting can be made with a whisk and spatula!
Ingredient Notes
- Frozen Strawberries- I like to use frozen in this recipe because the frozen ones tend to create more liquid when they are cooked down. If using fresh, you may need more than 1 ¾ cups of sliced strawberries to create the needed 6 tablespoons of strained strawberry syrup.
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Cocoa Powders- I like to use two types to give the cookies a dark color, but if you only want to use one, use Dutch or Natural Unsweetened. Do not only use Dark.
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- For this recipe we are actually using melted butter in the cookie dough. Make sure to cool it prior to adding the light brown sugar in it. For the frosting, only use room temperature butter. If using vegan butter in the frosting, make sure it's on the cold side versus room temperature. Also, use vegan baking sticks instead of vegan butter from a tub.
- Light Brown Sugar- Using the light brown gives the cookies the softness we need to offset the dryness from the cocoa powders and lack of eggs. I don't like to use dark because the cookies don't spread enough when baking.
- Cornstarch and Water- These cookies have no egg so this mixture helps bind everything together. You need this otherwise the cookies will break apart when you try to pick them up.
- Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- Vanilla- Make sure to only use pure vanilla extract otherwise the cookies can have a chemical flavor.
- Water- This frosting uses room temperature water instead of milk! Add it in slowly; you may not need it all.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
Make these into Vegan Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non-dairy milk of choice.
How to Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons of packed AP flour (210 grams plus 2 tablespoons)
- Make sure to use ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon packed cocoa powder (58 grams plus 1 tablespoon).
- Use 2 tablespoons of milk.
This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Strawberry Chocolate Cookies
Here are the step by step instructions for making these frosted cookies!
Step 1: Cook the Strawberries and Sugar
In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the sliced strawberries and granulated sugar. Stir constantly for about 5-8 minutes until the strawberries have liquified.
Step 2: Strain the Strawberries
Strain the strawberry liquid through a mesh colander. You should have at least 6 tablespoons of liquid after straining.
Transfer to a heat safe bowl and set on the counter to cool. Once cool, transfer to the fridge as you are making the dough.
Step 3: Melt the Butter
Microwave the butter in 11 second increments until almost completely melted. Whisk until fully melted; as you whisk, the residual heat will melt the rest. Set aside to cool.
Step 4: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cocoa powders, baking soda and kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 5: Make the Cornstarch Water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 6: Whisk in the Sugar, Cornstarch Water, Vanilla and Strawberry Syrup
Into the cooled and creamy melted butter, whisk in the light brown sugar, the cornstarch water, the pure vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons strawberry syrup until fully combined.
Step 7: Add in the Flour Mixture and Milk
Starting and ending with the flour mixture, whisk half the flour into the melted butter mixture. Add the milk and whisk until combined.
Using a spatula, gently fold in the rest of the flour mixture until combined. Do not over mix or the dough will become shiny and too sticky.
Step 8: Chill and Form into Balls
The dough will be very sticky. Add it to a freezer safe bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 min.
After 30 min, using a large cookie scoop, make 12 scoops with the dough.
If the dough is sticking to the cookie scoop, wash the scoop half way through to get off any stuck on dough.
Step 9: Flatten into Discs
Flatten each scoop into a thick disc versus a ball.
You must flatten or the cookies will remain in the ball shape when baked.
Step 10: Bake the Cookies and Cool
Place the dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack.
Step 11: Make the Frosting
Beat or mix together the butter, confectioners' sugar, kosher salt, pure vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons strawberry syrup until combined.
Slowly mix in the water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. You may not need all the water.
Step 12: Frost the Cookies
Using an icing spatula or a butter knife, frost the tops of the completely cooled cookies. Don't go all the way to the edge of the cookie. Make sure you can see the cookie on the edges.
Step 13: Make the Ganache
Place the chocolate chips and butter in a heat safe bowl.
Heat them in the microwave in 10-15 second increments, stirring after each time until the chocolate chips and butter are fully melted and incorporated.
Step 14: Add the Ganache and Strawberry
Spoon the ganache on top of each cookie. Make sure you leave the strawberry frosting visable. Immediately press a washed fresh strawberry into the wet ganache.
Expert Baking Tips
For the Chocolate Strawberry Cookies
- You Can Make the Syrup Ahead of Time- You can make the strawberry syrup the night before. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. For this recipe make sure to use packed cups or please read the gram amount.
- Use 2 Types of Cocoa Powders- The combination of Natural Unsweetened and Dark cocoa powders give the cookies a richer flavor and darker color. If you only have one type on hand, use natural unsweetened or dutch...just know the color of the cookies will not be as dark as mine. Do not use dark alone; it will make your cookies too dry, chalky and bitter. And like the flour, use packed cups of cocoa powder.
- Use Cooled Melted Butter- The butter cannot be bubbling/browned or the cookies will be very thin, spread out and oily. Microwave until there is a little bit of butter left unmelted; whisk it until the residual heat melts the rest of the butter. Then set aside to cool as you prep the rest of the recipe. When it is time to use the butter it should be cool and thick/creamy. Whisk it again to make it smooth. You can see in my video.
- Add the Flour then Milk then More Flour- Do not add the milk with the wet ingredients. The batter will be too wet and shiny and the cookies will be very buttery and flakey. You must add half the flour mixture, then the milk and then the rest of the flour mixture.
- Freezing the Dough- If you don’t freeze the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes, the dough will be too sticky to roll into balls.
- Wash the Cookie Scoop- If you notice the dough getting stuck in the cookie scoop, wash and dry your scoop halfway through making the dough balls.
- Flatten Dough Balls into Thick Discs- This step is important. If you don't do this, the cookies will remain in a ball shape while baking.
- Wet Your Hands- The cookie dough will be quite sticky and may stick to your hands if they're warm. If this happens, rinse your hands and then shake off any excess water. You want them slightly wet but not dripping wet. This will help prevent the dough from sticking. If the dough discs need some reshaping, simply use your slightly wet hands to make the dough discs tops smooth.
- Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape. Work quickly because they harden pretty fast.
For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks. The frosting will be way too runny.
- Making The Frosting- If the frosting is too liquidy, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. It should be thick enough to stay put on the cookies and not run off. If the buttercream appears too thick, add a little water ¼ teaspoon at a time.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. You can make the dough the night before. Keep it in a bowl and cover the top with plastic wrap in the fridge.
If doing this, there is no need to chill again prior to baking.
Or you can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.
Freezing Raw Dough Discs: Form the dough balls into discs. Place dough discs (not stacked) on a parchment lined baking sheet and pop in the freezer uncovered. Freeze for 10-15 minutes or until completely frozen. Once frozen, store the dough discs in a zip top bag for 1 month. When ready to use, bake at the same temperature for 17-19 minutes instead of 15.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you are able to make these cookies a day before!
Store the cookies in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge or individually wrap each cookie with foil. Do not stack.
Yes! In fact I recommend doing this because then it has time thicken! Make it up to one day in advance. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.
Yes! You can make the strawberry buttercream the night before. Store it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap in the fridge.
When ready to use, bring the frosting to room temperature and mix with a spatula or electric mixer to regain its creaminess.
Storing: Store the frosted cookies in a single layer, in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or individually wrapped in foil. If wrapping them, try to create a teepee with the top of the foil so it isn't touching the strawberry as much. Do not stack. Do not leave the cookies at room temperature.
They're still chewy when in the fridge but you can let them come to room temperature for about an hour before eating if desired.
Other Strawberry Recipes that You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Syrup
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¾ cups sliced strawberries , frozen
For the Cookies
- 1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (I use ¼ cup Natural Unsweetened and ¼ cup Dark)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, melted and cooled
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar , packed
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons strawberry syrup
For the Strawberry Buttercream
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons strawberry syrup
- 2 tablespoons water , room temperature (you may not need it all)
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Topping
- 12 strawberries , fresh
Instructions
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the 1 ¾ cups sliced strawberries and ¾ cup granulated sugar. Stir constantly for about 5-8 minutes until the strawberries have liquified and the sugar has dissolved. Use the back of your spoon to mash the strawberries apart.
- Set a strainer or a mesh colander over a bowl and strain the strawberry liquid. You don’t want any of the seeds, you just want the liquid. You should have at least 6 tablespoons of liquid.If you have more liquid that's ok...it just means you may not have cooked it long enough.
- Transfer the strawberry syrup to a heat safe bowl and set on the counter to cool. Once cool, transfer to the fridge as you are making the dough.It will thicken as it cools.
For the Cookies
- Place the ½ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick in a heat safe bowl. Place a paper towel on top of the bowl so the butter doesn't splatter. Microwave in 11 second increments until just melted. Do not let it bubble or brown. Set aside to cool.Do not microwave it too much. I prefer to microwave it until there is just a little bit of butter left unmelted and then I whisk it and the residual heat melts the rest of the butter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons multipurpose gluten free flour, ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the 2 rounded tablespoons of cornstarch and the 3 tablespoons of water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- Into the cooled melted butter, combine the 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, the cornstarch water, the 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons cooled strawberry syrup. Whisk until it is all fully blended; it may appear chunky. That's normal.
- Starting and ending with the flour mixture, whisk half the flour into the melted butter mixture. Then add the ¼ cup milk and whisk to combine.Add in the second half of the flour gently with a spatula. Do not over mix or the dough will become shiny and too sticky.
- The dough will be very sticky. Add it to a freezer safe bowl, cover the top with plastic wrap and pop the entire bowl of dough in the freezer for 30 min. When the dough is almost done chilling, preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Do not grease.
- After 30 min, using a large cookie scoop, make 12 scoops with the dough. (I use a 2 ounce cookie scoop).If the dough is sticking to the cookie scoop, wash the scoop half way through to get off any stuck on dough.
- Flatten each scoop into a thick disc versus a ball. If you don't do this step, the cookies will remain in the ball shape when baking.
- Place the dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.I only bake 6-8 at a time. Pop the rest of the dough discs in the fridge while the first batch is baking.
- Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them into a circle and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack.If any cookies have puffed up, gently push them down with the back of a cookie spatula.If you don't let them cool on the pan, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess when you try to lift them up.Let the cookies cool completely before adding the buttercream, otherwise the frosting will turn into a liquid mess.
For the Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- In a bowl, using a spatula, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, mix together the 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 pinch of kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of the strawberry syrup.
- Slowly add in the 2 tablespoons of water a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. The frosting should be smooth and creamy. You may not need all the water.
- Using an icing spatula or a butter knife, frost the tops of the completely cooled cookies. Don't go all the way to the edge of the cookie. Make sure you can see the cookie on the edges.Once all the cookies are all frosted, pop them in the fridge to get cold for the next step.
For the Chocolate Ganache
- Place ¾ cup chocolate chips and 6 tablespoons butter together in a heat safe bowl. Microwave them together in 10-15 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chocolate chips and butter are fully melted and incorporated. This will take a few min.
- Take the cookies out of the fridge. Spoon 1 tablespoon ganache on top of each cookie. Make sure you leave the strawberry frosting visable. Immediately press a washed strawberry into the wet ganache.
Steve
These cookies are my new favorite. They look amazing and taste even better!
John
These cookies were divine! So easy to make and FUN!