• 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.