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White chocolate meets raspberries in these irresistibly soft cookies with just the right texture. The mix of creamy, sweet white chocolate and tangy raspberry notes creates a taste that totally beats standard chocolate cookies. The soft dough with crispy edges holds a juicy raspberry jam surprise right in the middle.
The first time I made these cookies for my friends at our monthly book club, they vanished within minutes. It was mainly the surprise of finding jam filling mixed with crunchy bits of white chocolate that got everyone so excited.
Key Ingredients
- Freeze-dried raspberries: They add strong berry flavor without extra moisture, keeping the perfect cookie texture
- Unsalted butter: At cool room temperature, it builds the foundation for just the right dough consistency and stops cookies from spreading too much while baking
- Light brown sugar: It brings caramelized depth and keeps the cookies wonderfully moist
- Granulated sugar: It gives the right sweetness and helps form those crispy edges
- Vanilla and almond extracts: They complement the fruit and chocolate with gentle notes
- Raspberry jam: It creates the juicy, surprising center in each cookie
- White chocolate chunks: They partly melt during baking and make creamy pockets in the dough
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Preparation Method
- Making the dough:
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to make sure the leavening agents spread evenly. In a bigger bowl, beat slightly softened but still cool butter with both types of sugar until you get a creamy, fluffy mix. Be careful not to beat too much or you'll get too much air in there. Add the cold egg and extracts, then mix just enough to blend everything.
- Adding dry ingredients:
- Pour the flour mixture into the butter mix and stir gently until barely combined. Don't work the dough too much or you'll get rubbery cookies. Now fold in the freeze-dried raspberries and white chocolate with a silicone spatula. The delicate raspberries will naturally break up and give the dough a pretty pink color.
- Shaping cookies with filling:
- Take about two tablespoons of dough and flatten it into a thick disk. Put a teaspoon of raspberry jam in the center then carefully fold the dough to completely cover the jam. Shape it into a ball that's a bit taller than wide so it won't spread too much in the oven.
- Chilling and baking:
- Let the shaped dough balls cool in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up the butter. This step really matters for the final cookie texture. Bake the cookies at 175°C for 9 to 12 minutes. The perfect time to take them out is when the edges just start to harden but the center still looks soft. For a nice look, press a few extra pieces of white chocolate on top of the hot cookies.
- Cooling:
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. They're very soft at first but firm up as they cool, developing their perfect texture with a soft center and slightly crispy edges.
In my family, these cookies have become a total favorite. My daughter, who usually goes for chocolate cookies, now constantly asks for these "pink cookies" and loves helping mix in the freeze-dried raspberries that make the dough such a pretty color.
Serving Ideas
These cookies work great in so many different ways. Serve them slightly warm, when the white chocolate is still a bit melty, for an extra luxurious treat. For a fancy dessert, cut them in half and put a scoop of vanilla ice cream between them to make an ice cream sandwich. At summer parties, they go really well with a bowl of fresh raspberries and light mint lemonade. For special gatherings, arrange them on a tiered stand with other small treats like macarons or mini cupcakes. A cold glass of milk or an espresso makes the perfect drink to go with these sweet treats.
Creative Twists
The basic idea behind these cookies can be tweaked in lots of ways. Try blackcurrant or cherry jam as different fillings for a new flavor dimension. For chocolate lovers, swap some of the white chocolate for dark chocolate chunks, which creates an interesting contrast with the raspberry. Add a teaspoon of ground pistachios to the dough for a nutty note and slight green color that looks nice against the pink raspberries. A pinch of cardamom or cinnamon in the dough can make a wintery version. For special occasions, the finished cookies can be topped with a thin white chocolate glaze and sprinkled with crushed freeze-dried raspberries.
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Storage Tips
These cookies keep their wonderful texture for about 3-4 days when stored properly. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, with baking paper between layers so they don't stick together. For longer storage, you can freeze the raw dough already shaped into balls. Put the dough balls on a tray and freeze them individually first before moving them to a freezer bag. This way, you can bake a few fresh cookies whenever you want. Add about 2 minutes to the baking time for frozen dough. Baked cookies can also be frozen, but they lose a bit of their perfect texture when thawed.
When I think about these cookies, I remember the surprise on my family's faces when they bit into the jam filling for the first time. That extra bit of fruit in the middle of the soft dough and melty white chocolate makes these cookies really special. I love how the freeze-dried raspberries don't just add flavor but also create a pretty pink marbling that makes each bite unique. While they take a little more work than ordinary cookies, the end result is totally worth the extra effort.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I use fresh raspberries instead of dried?
- Not ideal, as fresh or frozen raspberries have too much moisture, which can mess with the cookie's texture. Dried ones bring strong flavor without extra water.
- → Why does the butter need to be slightly soft?
- If the butter's too soft, the cookies could spread too much while baking. It should be soft but still cool to help them keep their shape.
- → Can I skip chilling the dough before baking?
- No, chilling the dough for 30 minutes is key! It helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps them from spreading too much in the oven.
- → Why use aluminum-free baking powder?
- Aluminum can react with raspberries and give the cookies a bluish tint. Even with dried raspberries, aluminum-free powder is the best choice.
- → What's the best way to store these cookies?
- Keep them in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the dough and bake fresh cookies whenever you want.