Although I enjoy finding a recipe and going to the store to buy the necessary ingredients, I love using what I already have in my kitchen to create a delectable baked good. Because Ryan and I try to eat as much fresh fruit and veggies as possible, we make several trips to the grocery store each week. Therefore, when a Saturday afternoon rolls around, I'm usually not too excited about the thought of going to Safeway yet again (especially since it's the weekend...worst time to shop!)
But I had a hankering to bake, and so I began going through my pantry and fridge, pulling out ingredients and hoping that inspiration would come. I considered using two over ripe bananas for a cookie recipe, but I wanted to make something that celebrated spring. We've been having lovely weather in Colorado lately, but I know how quickly the temperature can change . And so a package of strawberries began calling my name. They were large, ripe and sweet, almost as good as the berries we will find over the summer months.
I've used strawberries in cakes, muffins and pies, but never in a cookie recipe and I wanted to give it a try. I wasn't sure if the strawberries would provide too much moisture, making the cookies soft and mushy, so I added some extra flour to help balance the moisture content. I also added a squeeze of lemon to help brighten the flavors. The cookies came out of the oven looking and smelling heavenly. Ryan woke up from a nap and devoured several before he was fully awake. They remind us of the cookies you used to get at the grocery store...those pink ones that they had sitting on the bakery counter. But don't worry. These cookies taste far better and don't rely on food color for their slightly pink hue. But they still make us nostalgic for childhood and that is always a good thing.
But I had a hankering to bake, and so I began going through my pantry and fridge, pulling out ingredients and hoping that inspiration would come. I considered using two over ripe bananas for a cookie recipe, but I wanted to make something that celebrated spring. We've been having lovely weather in Colorado lately, but I know how quickly the temperature can change . And so a package of strawberries began calling my name. They were large, ripe and sweet, almost as good as the berries we will find over the summer months.
I've used strawberries in cakes, muffins and pies, but never in a cookie recipe and I wanted to give it a try. I wasn't sure if the strawberries would provide too much moisture, making the cookies soft and mushy, so I added some extra flour to help balance the moisture content. I also added a squeeze of lemon to help brighten the flavors. The cookies came out of the oven looking and smelling heavenly. Ryan woke up from a nap and devoured several before he was fully awake. They remind us of the cookies you used to get at the grocery store...those pink ones that they had sitting on the bakery counter. But don't worry. These cookies taste far better and don't rely on food color for their slightly pink hue. But they still make us nostalgic for childhood and that is always a good thing.
Strawberry Cookies
1 cup fresh strawberries (the riper the better)
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using a blender or a food processor, puree your washed and hulled strawberries. Pour into a 1/2 cup measuring cup, discard the remainder of the puree (or use it later for pancakes, waffles, ect...)
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add in your egg, stir well, and then add in your vanilla and lemon juice. Fold in the strawberry puree.
3. In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. At this point, you can let your dough chill if it is too warm to handle. Using a TBSP, drop spoonfuls of cookie dough unto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on sheet before removing. These cookies will be very soft so be careful removing them.
4. These cookies are moist, so they are best eaten the day they are baked. They will store, but will become even softer once placed in a container (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I guess!)
1 cup fresh strawberries (the riper the better)
1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using a blender or a food processor, puree your washed and hulled strawberries. Pour into a 1/2 cup measuring cup, discard the remainder of the puree (or use it later for pancakes, waffles, ect...)
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add in your egg, stir well, and then add in your vanilla and lemon juice. Fold in the strawberry puree.
3. In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk to incorporate. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. At this point, you can let your dough chill if it is too warm to handle. Using a TBSP, drop spoonfuls of cookie dough unto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 13 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on sheet before removing. These cookies will be very soft so be careful removing them.
4. These cookies are moist, so they are best eaten the day they are baked. They will store, but will become even softer once placed in a container (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, I guess!)
We got a new armchair yesterday...15 dollars!
RSS Feed
