Classic chocolate chip cookies are great on their own, and they’re also a great jumping-off point to add your own creative spin. In my Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies, I’ve added 2 extra elements to the classic that add major fun and flavor. Freeze-dried strawberries give these cookies their fresh berry flavor. They absorb a little liquid as they mix and add a fun textural element. A little almond extract enhances the berry and chocolate combination. Try this fun chocolate chip cookie twist and let me know what you think!
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- All purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Butter – I use real butter in my baking, but this recipe works well with butter flavored shortening, or half butter, half shortening. You are welcome to experiment with other butter alternatives as well, but I haven’t tested any.
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Almond extract – Pure or imitation works just fine. We have tree nut allergies at my house so I always use imitation!
- Chocolate chips – Feel free to use any chocolate chip that you like. I suggest and prefer semi-sweet (or even dark) to balance the sweetness.
- Freeze dried strawberries – The star of the show. You can’t very successfully add fresh berries to cookies because the extra moisture is just too much, but freeze-dried will absorb some of the moisture in the dough and plump up, adding both flavor and texture. You can buy freeze-dried strawberries in most grocery stores these days, or even on Amazon! If you don’t see them with the other dried fruits, check the health-food aisle, or the aisle with other freeze-dried foods.
How to Make Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- You’ll start by making a pretty typical chocolate chip cookie dough. Cream brown and white sugars with butter. Add eggs and some vanilla and almond extracts.
- Next you’ll add your dry ingredients: Flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, then some crushed freeze dried strawberries.
- Drop the dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets and press a few extra chocolate chips on top, as well as a few pieces of freeze dried strawberries before popping into the oven. Just go light on the berries here, as they can sometimes get a little too brown in the oven. They will bake up soft and beautiful with chunks of melted chocolate and pieces of bright red berries.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within 2-3 days for best results.
- These cookies freeze beautifully! Freeze fully cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container with a layer of parchment between each layer for up to 2-3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature as needed.
- For perfectly round cookies, use a canning ring or upside-down glass lager than the cookies and swirl around each one on the baking sheet while they are fresh out of the oven. This shapes each cookie into a nice circle and gets rid of uneven edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add other freeze dried berries to this cookie?
Sure! I would just keep the total measurement of freeze dried fruit the same.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Sure! Make them a day in advance and store in an airtight container until ready to use. You can also make the dough in advance and store in the refrigerator. I recommend portioning out the cookies and refrigerating in balls. You may need to add a couple of minutes to the cooking time if you do this.
You can also make and freeze the completed cookies. Freeze them in a freezer-safe container with parchment separating the layers. Use within 2-3 months.
Can I add nuts or other mix ins?
Absolutely. White chocolate chips would be great here. You could add a little lime zest in place of the almond extract. Pecan or macadamia nuts would be tasty as well.
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
A delicious twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie with hints of almond extract and bright berries!
Servings cookies (3 dozen)
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour 390g
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter at room temperature* you can also use butter flavored shortening, or a combo of both
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- 12- ounce bag chocolate chips
- 1 ½ – 2 cups roughly chopped freeze-dried strawberries*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand-mixer, combine butter (and shortening if using both), brown sugar and white sugar. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating until each one is incorporated. Add vanilla and almond extracts.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add chocolate chips and strawberries and mix until well blended.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion dough into 1 1/2″ balls and place on baking sheet
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, until set on edges and slightly soft in centers. Remove and let cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack. Yields about 3 dozen.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within 2-3 days for best results.
- These cookies freeze beautifully! Freeze fully cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container with a layer of parchment between each layer for up to 2-3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature as needed.
- For perfectly round cookies, use a canning ring or upside-down glass lager than the cookies and swirl around each one on the baking sheet while they are fresh out of the oven. This shapes each cookie into a nice circle and gets rid of uneven edges.
- Feel free to use butter flavored shortening in place of butter, or half butter and half shortening.
- Freeze-dried berries can be roughly chopped with a knife, or simply broken up with your hands a bit. The amount is flexible. There’s a large curve depending on how much you break down your berries. If you are crushing them into teeny tiny pieces you will need a lot to fill 2 cups. I simply use a knife or my hands to break down pieces so they are similar in size to a chocolate chip. Don’t stress if you don’t have a full 2 cups!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie, Calories: 200kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 117mg, Potassium: 140mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 171IU, Vitamin C: 80mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 2mg
Calories: 200kcal
Cost: $10
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Questions & Reviews
Winner! Love, love, love these cookies! I would never have thought to put f/d strawberries in my chocolate chip cookies but, WOW! Who doesn’t love chocolate dipped strawberries? And I did not find the almond extract overpowering. Could it be the other reader used imitation instead of real extract? This is a fabulous cookie! Thanks, Sara!
So glad you love them!
Good idea, I will try this…..and I love almond too…..and this is one way to get your fruit too 🙂 love it…..thanks
Pretty much the BEST way to get your fruit in, haha!
Wow. Great cookie except the overpowering almond flavor totally strangulated any strawberry flavor — and I followed the recipe exactly. I’ll try again without it.
Truly the difference in cookies made with shortening is real! I was given chocolate chip cookies by two friends within two days apart. one made only with butter and the other one made with butter and shortening combination. The cookie with shortening was so much better!!!
Sarah, it’s such a coincidence that you posted this recipe. Just this week I went onto your website looking for a chocolate chip cookie recipe with part shortening in the base and could not find one. So I looked on Mel’s kitchen café blog and couldn’t find one there either. So I finally decided I would have to ask my friend for her secret chocolate chip cookie recipe with shortening in it, and she shared! So I’m sharing with you too. Her recipe is very similar but makes a larger batch.
chocolate chip cookies
1.Cream together:
1 cup CRISCO shortening
1 cup butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
2.Add one at a time and mix after each addition:
3 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon Vanilla
3. Sift flour and then mix together and add gradually to wet ingredients?
5 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
4. Stir in:
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 10-11 minutes. Secret: take out when still a little underdone.
Yes, very similar to the recipe I based this one off of!
I had all the ingredients so I tested these out this afternoon. They are a delicious change to the traditional chocolate chip cookie.
Beautiful! I love the combination of chocolate and strawberries.
I know this is a Crisco inspired recipe, but what can you use instead of shortening?
You can definitely use all butter (or all shortening for that matter). It will yield a slightly different texture depending on what you use but both delicious!
Would regular crisco sticks work or do you need that butter flavor?
Regular is just fine!
You had me until almond extract. ? I don’t like lots of almond flavor in my cookies. I may have to try with vanilla instead.
No problem- just leave it out and add a little extra vanilla!
These are so pretty. I have some butter flavored crisco in the pantry that needs to be used up….perfect!