Chocolate & Strawberry Cookies

Yet another gift giving holiday is creeping up on us!

Valentines day . . .

Now don't get me wrong I do like Valentines day, I like the cards, the flowers, the chocolates (If I'm lucky enough to get them) but what I don't like is that Christmas for me doesn't spell the end of the year, but the beginning of the gift giving season.

 Christmas, My birthday, The wee ones birthday, Valentines day then mothers day.

Seriously it seems like the first 3 months of the year, when most people are clawing back their losses over Christmas, my family are splurging (when we really shouldn't)

But then I won't lie, I love giving presents especially when they look like these bad boys.

And what says Valentines more than chocolate and strawberries.

So yes, I will be gift giving on Valentines to himself and this is what he will be receiving (and perhaps a onesie, he may tell you they're so not cool but I know he's secretly longing for the comfort of a onesie)

Some gorgeously soft, cakey, rich and chocolatey cookies dotted with sweet and tart strawberries are just what cupid ordered (remember it's so not strawberry season so they're not overly sweet which works perfectly with these indulgent cookies)

Oh yeah! And just too be pretty ironic I used my yoga mat as my 'table cloth' in these photos.

Nothing says indulgence more than laying cookies on your exercise mat.

'It's not my fault I can't work out the cookies have invaded my workout space, Judge them not me'

Makes 12 Cookies

Ingredients:

130g / 1 Cup Plain Flour
50g / 1/3 Cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Instant Coffee Powder
113g / 1/2 Cup Butter
70g / 1/3 Cup Caster Sugar
70g / 1/3 Cup Soft Dark Brown Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/2 Tsp Strawberry Flavouring (Optional)
1 Egg
125g Fresh Strawberries (Chopped)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 180c / 350f and line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and coffee powder.

In a separate mixing bowl beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Then add the egg and vanilla (and strawberry flavouring if you are using it).

Then stir in the dry ingredients, followed by the chopped strawberries.

Using an ice cream scoop, scoop dollops of the dough and place them onto the baking sheets.

Flatten the tops with the back of a spoon then bake for 12-15 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.

Then move them onto a wire cooling rack to cool fully before eating (if they last that long)