XXX Strawberry Cookies

Why did I call these guys XXX? Simple...because I use three forms of strawberries: fresh, dehydrated, and cooked. And because they taste so good it's obscene.

If you liked my XXX Cranberry Cookies, you'll love these. The two recipes are almost the same, but I've made a few adjustments to highlight the delicate flavor of the strawberries, namely replacing dark brown sugar with light brown sugar, swapping out orange juice and zest with lemon juice and zest, and upping the amount of dehydrated fruit. (Oh...and you can feel good about eating these because they're eggless.)

The strawberries cooked with lemon juice and zest have a fresh, bright flavor that's the perfect background for the sweetness of the fresh and dehydrated strawberries. The white chocolate chips provide richness, and the ground-up Nilla Wafers lend a light vanilla-y note. A final roll in turbinado sugar before baking gives the cookies a crunchy exterior that contrasts the moist, chewy interior.

Makes 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing XXX Strawberry Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup light brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries 3 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Dry Ingredients	2 cups oatmeal 1 cup finely ground Nilla Wafer cookies 3/4 cup flour 3/4 cup dehydrated strawberries 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping	turbinado sugar

1. In a small saucepan, heat strawberries, milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, and white sugar over medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon, crushing the strawberries until the the mixture is smooth and evenly red.
2. Remove strawberry mixture from the heat and set aside to cool until Step 5.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
5. Add vanilla to the cooled strawberry mixture. Whisk together until smooth.
6. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
7. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
8. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
9. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
10. Roll each cookie dough ball in turbinado sugar.
    
11. Place the sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
12. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and the tops are firm to the touch. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Comments

[kim]

I LOVE THESE cookies! They are amazing! Here is my tribute:
http://kimsstateoffood.blogspot.com/2009/06/triple-strawberry-cookies.html

[Oatmeal Cookie Guy]

Thanks, Kim. Glad you liked 'em! :-)

[purpleracoon]

And at only a year out of date, mine : http://tumblr.com/xx8crnisw

Have been following your blog for ages, but never has a recipe coincided with an opportunity until a few days ago. Made without wafers or dried fruit, and with dark instead of white chocolate, they tasted fab!