Strawberry Frosted Chocolate Cookies
Strawberry frosted chocolate cookies are made with soft and chewy dark chocolate cookies, creamy strawberry buttercream frosting, rich chocolate ganache, and a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberries. Rich, fruity, and indulgent, they deliver all the flavors of a chocolate-covered strawberry in cookie form.
Strawberry Frosted Chocolate Cookies
Some love stories never fade, and these strawberry frosted chocolate cookies are proof that certain pairings come back time after time.
Soft, fudgy chocolate cookies are topped with fluffy strawberry buttercream frosting, a silky chocolate ganache drizzle, and a sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberries for a chocolate-covered strawberry moment in cookie form.
They’re indulgent, nostalgic, and quietly romantic—like a slow dance in your kitchen to your favorite Cyndi Lauper love ballad.
Because when you fall, chocolate and strawberry will catch you—every single time.
If strawberries make you swoon, check out my chocolate strawberry cupcakes, strawberry cake, and strawberry frosted lemon cookies.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Chocolate-covered strawberry vibes: These cookies capture the classic chocolate-and-strawberry combo in an indulgent, bakery-style cookie.
- Soft & chewy texture: The chocolate cookies bake up fudgy in the center with just the right amount of chew.
- Frosted to perfection: A swirl of strawberry buttercream adds sweetness and a pop of color to every cookie.
- Extra indulgent finish: A drizzle of chocolate ganache and sprinkle of freeze-dried strawberries take these cookies over the top.
- Crowd-pleasing dessert: Perfect for sharing at parties, gifting, or anytime you want a dessert that feels a little extra special.
Recipe Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Black cocoa powder – Substitute with dark or dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Baking soda + salt
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Light brown sugar + granulated sugar
- Eggs – Room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar
- Strawberry reduction – Room temperature. Learn how to make strawberry reduction here.
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
Additional Components
- Chocolate ganache – Semisweet chocolate + heavy cream.
- Freeze-dried strawberries
How to Make Strawberry Frosted Chocolate Cookies
Make the chocolate cookie dough.
Portion the cookie dough using a large cookie scoop and chill.
Place the cookie dough balls on prepared baking sheet pans.
Bake and cool the cookies.
Make the strawberry buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache.
Frost and decorate the cookies with the strawberry frosting, chocolate ganache, and freeze-dried strawberries.
Courtney’s Expert Cookie Baking Tips
- Use black cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor and deep color.
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough for uniform sized cookies.
- Chill the cookie dough before baking for thicker, fudgier cookies that spread less.
- Don’t overbake the cookies—underbake slightly for that soft and chewy texture.
- Use the back of a spoon, a round cookie cutter, or a small glass bowl to gently shape the cookies immediately when they come out of the oven to make perfectly round cookies.
- Make the strawberry reduction ahead of time and keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before making the frosting.
- Don’t worry if the buttercream appears to split or curdle. This is normal. Just keep whipping for several minutes until it comes together. We are adding a water-based substance (strawberry reduction) to a fat-based substance (butter) and that takes a lot of whipping to emulsify.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, if you don’t want to use black cocoa powder, feel free to substitute with dark cocoa or dutch-process cocoa powder for a deep and rich chocolate flavor and color. You can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder, however, the cookies will have a much lighter flavor and color.
Strawberry reduction is a concentrated strawberry sauce made from cooking and pureeing frozen strawberries. It adds intense strawberry flavor and a beautiful pale pink color to the frosting. You can check out my tutorial on how to make berry reduction. Use frozen strawberries for the best results. Make the strawberry reduction up to 1 week in advance.
Don’t worry if your frosting appears to look split or curdled. Just keep whipping for several minutes until it comes together. We are adding a water-based substance (strawberry reduction) to a fat-based substance (butter) and that requires a lot of whipping to emulsify. The temperature of the ingredients can also cause this to happen.
Yes! Check out my easy strawberry buttercream frosting which is made with freeze-dried strawberries. You can cut the recipe in half to get the correct measurements for this recipe.
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Strawberry Frosted Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Dark Chocolate Cookies
- 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (65 g) black cocoa powder (substitute with dark or dutch-process cocoa powder)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking soda
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups (330 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (36 g) strawberry reduction (click here for the recipe)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream (room temperature)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Additional Ingredients
- ½ cup (90 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 g) freeze-dried strawberries (roughly chopped)
Instructions
Dark Chocolate Cookies
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, black cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar for a few minutes on medium speed until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Add in the flour/cocoa mixture and mix on low speed until the cookie dough comes together. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) to portion the cookie dough and place the cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- Place the chilled cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet pans, allowing room for spreading. Bake the cookies for about 13 to 14 minutes until the edges are set and the centers of the cookies are slightly underbaked. Cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
- Before making the buttercream, make the strawberry reduction. You can make the strawberry reduction up to a week in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring the reduction to room temperature before making the buttercream.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the room temperature unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add in half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed until the sugar is combined with the butter. Add the remaining half of the powdered sugar and continue to mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Add in the strawberry reduction and mix on low speed until fully combined with the butter mixture. Then, add in the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and continue to mix on low speed until combined and smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Increase the mixer speed to medium and whip the buttercream for about 3 to 5 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. If the buttercream looks split or curdled, this is normal, just continue to whip until it emulsifies and turns smooth and creamy. Then, turn the mixer to low speed and mix the buttercream for several minutes to remove air bubbles.
- Optional: To smooth out the buttercream, melt ½ cup of the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour the melted frosting back into the mixing bowl and mix the frosting on low speed until the buttercream is super smooth and creamy.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat the semisweet chocolate chips and heavy cream in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Assembling the Cookies
- Fill a piping bag with a Wilton 1A piping tip with the strawberry buttercream frosting and fill a piping bag with the tip cut off with the slightly cooled chocolate ganache.
- Pipe a swirl of the strawberry frosting onto the cooled chocolate cookies and spread the frosting with an offset spatula. Drizzle the chocolate ganache over the cookies and decorate with chopped freeze-dried strawberries.
Notes
- Room temperature: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.
- Refrigerator (cookie dough): Store the unbaked cookie dough balls in the refrigerator in an airtight container or resealable storage bag for 1 week. Let the cookie dough sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes and then bake as directed.
- Refrigerator (frosted cookies): Store the baked and frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
- Freezer (cookie dough): Store the unbaked cookie dough balls in the freezer in an airtight container or resealable storage bag for 3 months. Bring the cookie dough balls to room temperature and then bake as directed.
- Freezer (baked cookies): Store the baked cookies in the freezer in an airtight container or resealable storage bag for 3 months.
Nutrition
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Which black cocoa powder do you prefer to use?
Hi Amanda! I have used “Modern Mountain” and “The Cocoa Trader” and both have been great for baking. I’ve purchased both from Amazon.