Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies Make a Memorable Cookie Swap

Sharing is caring!

Looking for the perfect treat to share with your loved ones? Look no further! These Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies are sure to impress.

 

National Chocolate Day is October 28.  What better way to celebrate the day than with some delicious chocolate cookies.  These cookies just happen to have strawberries in them.  This makes them chocolate covered strawberry cookies and oh so delicious.  The pairing of the cocoa powder and chocolate chips with the sweet strawberries makes these cookies irresistible.  They will be the star of your holiday cookie swap! 

 

History of cookie swaps

 

Cookie exchanges are slated to go back to medieval times.  The idea being inspired by holiday parties where guests would bring homemade cookies to trade with others at the party.  What started out as a fun event eventually had rules like the types of cookies and quantity making it a little less fun.

 

 

In the US, the first mention of a cookie exchange is in the 30s from a newspaper in Syracuse.  And as more and more housewives had access to more ingredients, cookie exchanges gained in popularity.  By the 50s, these swaps were synonymous with holiday parties.  The trend continued through the 60s and 70s and beyond.  The height of popularity came with the invention of the butter cookie tins and the popularity of the basic chocolate chip cookie.

 

These swaps or exchanges declined probably due to the pandemic.  But there’s no reason that as Covid is less of a threat we can’t enjoy the fun cookie swap or exchange parties today.  Make sure to pick your guests wisely.  I like laidback, easy-going participants who aren’t going to complain about the types and quantities of cookies.  Pick a date that’s not overbooked.  Try a weeknight party for a couple of hours.  That gives plenty of time for mingling and nibbling.

 

The rules shouldn’t be too restrictive and maybe a sign up sheet could prevent duplicates.  At the very least everyone should bring at least two dozen cookies.  One dozen for snacking and one for swapping.  Everyone should bring their own containers to take cookies home.  And it’s best to have some non-sweet nibbles to avoid a sugar coma.  Some veggies and dip or even hummus and crackers would be great to cut the sugar of all those delicious cookies.

 

 

What are the best cookie recipes for holiday cookie parties?

 

While one might think every cookie recipe would work, there are some tried and true versions that are best suited for exchange parties.  Tried and true recipes like chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, kiss cookies, and thumbprints top the list.  They’re easy to make, loved by almost everyone, and you can customize them for you or your participant’s flavor preferences.

 

Sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies are great for cookie cutters and fun decorations.  Spritz cookies are perfect for large quantities of cookies for parties and easy to decorate with nonpareils or sanding sugars.   Recipes like crinkle cookies have a good basic recipe you can customize and they look so pretty with the powdered sugar coating.

 

 

Whatever cookie you choose, make sure it’s a cookie recipe that is easy and delicious.  You don’t want to deal with specialty ingredients, complicated steps, or have cookie fails.  Stick to the classics and tried and true recipes for your cookie exchange.

 

Ingredients for these chocolate covered strawberry cookies

• Pantry – sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda salt, chocolate chips
• Refrigerator – butter, eggs, strawberries

 

Instructions for these chocolate cookies

 

Preheat the oven while you prepare the dough.  Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature to ensure the best results for this cookie recipe.  Adding cold eggs to warm butter will cause the butter to harden and not blend with the rest of the ingredients.

 

 

Cream the butter and the sugars together until they’re creamy then add the eggs one at a time beating after each of the eggs.  Then add the vanilla extract and beat again. 

 

Combine the flour with the baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.  Stir with a whisk before adding to the butter mixture.  Add the flour mixture a third at a time stirring after each addition taking care not to overbeat the cookie dough.  Finally, fold in the strawberries and the chocolate chips. 

 

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a silpat lined baking sheet or onto parchment paper.  Bake at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges and the center is slightly firm to the touch.  Cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container until it’s time for the party.

 

 

Tips for Perfecting Your Cookies

 

Make sure the oven temperature is accurate.  Over time, the temperature is not as accurate.  Check yours with an oven thermometer.  There are several kinds out there and they’re not very expensive.  Next, make sure the ingredients are at room temperature.  Adding a cold egg to the softened butter can make for an uneven batter and could make the cookies take longer to bake.

 

Whisk your dry ingredients together.  Gone are the days of needing to sift your ingredients together.  However, sifting didn’t just remove the lumps from flour, but also allowed us to thoroughly combine the dry ingredients.  In lieu of the sifter, I stir mine with a whisk thoroughly to make sure everything is completely mixed before adding the dry and wet ingredients together.  You could get pockets of flour, baking powder, or salt if you don’t mix them well.

 

 

Tips for storing and sharing your cookies for a holiday swap

 

To ensure your chocolate covered strawberry cookies stay fresh and delicious for your holiday swap, it’s essential to store them properly. Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at in the fridge for up to a week. Since the strawberries are fresh, I wouldn’t leave them out at room temperature.  But make sure the container is airtight so the cookies don’t dry out.  For longer storage, you can store the cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months.

 

To share your cookies at a holiday swap, consider packaging them in festive boxes or tins, tying them with a ribbon, or placing them in clear bags with a decorative twist tie.  There are so many holiday containers out there every year it’s difficult not to serve them up in a seasonal container.  I like to save those butter cookie tins and use them at cookie swaps the following year.

 

 

What do these chocolate covered strawberry cookies taste like?

 

I think these Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies are my new favorite cookie.  They’re slightly crisp on the edge, nice and chewy in the middle, gooey with melted chocolate chips, and have a nice surprise with the bits of strawberry.  See what I mean?  I just know these are going to be your new favorite cookie, too.

 

Just grab a glass of milk, a small stack of these and you can easily welcome the holidays in your kitchen with these cookies and all the other exchange cookies you bring home from the party.  Just make sure you have enough to share with your family.  Or hide them in the back of the fridge and sneak them for yourselves.

Choctober Chocolate Recipes

• (Whole Wheat) Chocolate Chip Banana Bread from Art of Natural Living
• Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cookies from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Chocolate Falooda from Magical Ingredients
• Chocolate Peppermint Brownies from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Hungarian Chocolate Torte from That Recipe

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!