Double Chocolate Strawberry Sandwich Cookies
These Double Chocolate Strawberry Sandwich Cookies are decadent, flavorful, and purely delightful. The white chocolate strawberry buttercream is the best tasting buttercream I’ve ever made, and it’s sandwiched between two not-too-sweet chocolate cookies. Sophisticated yet fun, these sandwich cookies are a crowd-pleaser.
I developed this recipe for Trader Joe’s Strawberry recipe contest. When I saw the billboard in the store, I knew it was right down my alley, and I just had to create a recipe. The rule was that I could only use five Trader Joe’s products plus sugar, salt, butter/cooking oils. No problem!
Featured Ingredient – Freeze-Dried Strawberries
I discovered freeze-dried strawberries when making Neopolitan cookies with my bake club. I didn’t think much about it then, since it was just another ingredient I needed for the recipe. The leftover freeze-dried strawberries ended up in the back of my refrigerator. Months later, when making Valentine’s cupcakes, I realized I didn’t have red food coloring to make pink frosting, so I scoured my kitchen for anything I could use. Out came the leftover freeze-dried strawberries, and I ended up making the most delicious strawberry frosting. Not only was it a natural food coloring, but it also had so much flavor! It was a game changer! From then on, freeze-dried strawberries have been on the top of my “secret” ingredients list.
Benefits: The only ingredient is strawberries (as it should be!). Strawberries are a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants. Freeze-dried strawberries are full of concentrated flavor and great for baking since it’s a dry ingredient which makes it easier to work with. Crush it into a powder before using if you don’t want the big pieces.
Where to get it: Trader Joe’s ;), otherwise check online.
Tips
To crush the freeze-dried strawberries for these sandwich cookies, put them in a zip-lock bag and use a rolling pin to roll over them. You could also save a step and roll over the original bag that the strawberries came in (my preference). Make sure to allow the air to escape from the bag.
Double Chocolate Strawberry Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries
- 1⅓ cup (160g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (57g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 9 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
White Chocolate Strawberry Filling
- 1¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries
- ¼ cup white chocolate
- 1 tbsp water
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1¾ cup (227g) powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
Cookie
- Crush the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder
- Add all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat in the butter one tablespoon at a time until combined and the dough begins to form.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten into a disc.
- Refrigerate for about 30 minutes until the dough is firm.
- Lightly flour your work surface with cocoa powder and roll dough to a ¼ inch thickness.
- Using a cookie cutter (e.g., 2 inch rough Linzer cookier cutter), cut out cookie shapes and place on baking pan lined with a silicon mat or parchment paper.
- Refrigerate cookies for 15 minutes.
- Bake at 300F for 10 minutes. Cool.
Filling
- Crush the freeze-dried strawberries into a powder and set aside.
- Gently melt the white chocolate and water together in a small pot/saucepan. Cool to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, add the butter and melted white chocolate mixture and beat on medium speed to combine. Then add the powdered sugar, crushed freeze-dried strawberries, and salt. Beat at medium-high for several minutes.
Assembly
- Sandwich the filling between two cookies.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Crush the freeze-dried strawberries by putting the strawberries in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to roll over them. You could also save a step and roll over the original bag that the strawberries came in. Make sure to allow the air in the bag to escape.