Strawberry, Coconut, and Almond Cookies

I know it sounds weird, but this is a salad-inspired cookie. Yup...that's right.

Weeks ago, I had a spinach, coconut, strawberry, and almond salad and knew I needed to translate it into a cookie. (Minus the spinach, of course.) What can I say: inspiration's where you find it, right?

Longtime readers will know that I've made a few berry cookies that use three forms of fruit--fresh, dried, and cooked--to deliver the yumminess. This time, though, I wanted to try something a little different because I couldn't find dried strawberries at my grocery store. But what to use? Even more fresh or cooked strawberries?

When you make berry- or fruit-flavored cookies, you always have to address the moisture factor. Fruit is wet, and cookie dough that is too wet often yields too-moist, cakey cookies, which is fine if that's what you like. But I prefer the perfect balance between chew and crunch. And so the search for an alternative ingredient for dried strawberries began.

And then it hit me: Strawberry Quik! Some pink stuff in the creamables dry ingredients will do the trick.

This is an eggless recipe because I use cookied strawberries for the wet ingredients. And to maximize the berry flavor, I used a little raspberry extract.

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

Creamables	1 stick butter 1/2 cup white sugar 1/2 cup dark brown sugar 1/4 cup Strawberry Quik
Wet Ingredients	1 1/2 cups roughly chopped strawberries 1/4 cup white sugar 2 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 1/2 teaspoon raspberry extract
Dry Ingredients	2 cups finely ground oatmeal 2 cups coconut 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped almonds 3/4 cups flour 1/2 cup Strawberry Quick 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt.

1. In a small saucepan, heat strawberries, white sugar, milk, extracts, and lemon juice and zest over medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, crushing the strawberries until the the mixture is smooth.
2. Remove strawberry mixture from the heat and set aside to cool until Step 5.  
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. Cream together the butter, sugars and Strawberry quick.
5. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
7. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
8. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
9. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets. Flatten each dough ball a little with your hand or a spatula.
   
10. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.