Double-Chocolate Strawberry Cookies

.  What a week, what a week.  Work was a whirlwind and hence, so was everything else!  Coming back from a trip really messes everything up.  You're in that relaxed, carefree zone and then BAM!  Work.  This week was probably more unique than others as well since we're starting a new trimester.  I'm in our companys' audit department and we change audits every four months.  And June happens to be the start of a new cycle!  How convenient ☺

I fee like I've had a lot of excuses for not posting as much as I'd like to, and we can add this one to the list.  Well, more like a tally mark.  Work seems to get in the way of a lot of things but what can you do.  That's life for now, I guess!  No more sob stories.

But I'd like to start the weekend off with a classic dessert turned cookie.  Yep, I'm talking about chocolate-covered strawberries morphed into a chewy, rich, chocolatey, sweet cookie (they almost reminded me of the Fallen Souffle Chocolate Torte texture).  Oo, these are a keeper.  Well, in my opinion.  And since I KNOW farmer's markets are going on in your area this weekend, you have a great opportunity to pick up some local strawberries and bake your little ♡ out.

I adapted this recipe from my Cookie Book that I found in a nearby used bookstore.  Tip: used bookstores are great places to find fabulous recipe books.  Granted, it's very hit or miss, but every once in a while you'll score.  This happened with both my Cookie Book and my Heirloom Baking book (which was written by the Brass Sisters and I JUST saw them featured on 'Throwdown with Bobby Flay' the other week!).

The original recipe is actually called 'Double-Chocolate Cranberry Cookies', but since it's strawberry season, I figured why not?!  So I made the switch and what resulted was a decadent chocolate cookie studded with pieces of fresh, ripe strawberries.  There are also chunks of milk chocolate, which really made the cookie.  Gosh, I loved these.  I couldn't resist walking by these cookies without tearing off a bit [or chunk].  They're addicting.  And I kid you not, they taste exactly like a chocolate-covered strawberry.  I've said this twice now so I must really mean it .

Double-Chocolate Strawberry Cookies

Adapted from Cookie Book

Ingredients:

2-1/2 c. diced strawberries

12 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/3 c. unsalted butter

1 c. minus 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Scant 1/2 tsp. almond extract

2/3 c. all purpose flour

1-1/2 c. semisweet or milk chocolate chips

Directions:

1.  In medium, microwaveable-safe bowl, melt bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and butter for 1-1/2 minutes.  Stir well.  Continue melting, stopping and stirring at 30 second intervals.  Stop heating before chocolate melts completely and let residual heat finish the job.  Let cool to warm.

2.  Stir brown sugar, baking powder, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract with strawberries.

3.  Stir in chocolate mixture.

4.  Stir in flour and chocolate chips until evenly incorporated.  Refrigerate dough for 1-1/2 hours or until it firms up slightly.

5.  Heat oven to 350°F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

6.  Drop dough onto baking sheets using 1/8 cup measuring spoon, spacing 2-1/2 inches apart.

7.  Bake cookies 8 to 11 minutes or until dry in centers and almost firm when pressed.  Transfer baking sheet to rack to let cookies firm up (about 1 to 2 minutes).  

Yield: 40 to 45 cookies

*My Notes:

• Make sure you pick out ripe strawberries.  Since they're a main component in this treat, it'll make a difference!
• I chose to use Guittard semisweet chocolate for the cookie dough and Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips for the add in.  I thought the combination of these two worked out really well, and I especially loved the huge milk chocolate chunks with the strawberries!
• The baking time listed above is from the original recipe.  I had to bake my version of the cookie for several minutes longer (I forgot to note the exact time, sorry) and my cookies could have still withstood a longer baking time.  As you can see from the last picture, the centers were still quite soft.