Strawberry Surprise Cookies

I love strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie, strawberry smoothies, anything made with strawberries makes me happy. I like eating strawberries plain too. I enjoy fresh the taste of fresh strawberries very much. I know that most strawberry plants produce fruit in the early spring or fall however there are everblooming strawberry plants that produce all through the growing season. Yea. And, even when strawberries aren't being produced in the local area there are berries available all year from other growers. There is no reason not to be able to enjoy strawberries all year long.

I am always glad to find a new recipe to enjoy this wonderful fruit. I found a recipe in a very old cookbook which I modified to create my own cookie recipe to make cookies with fresh strawberries inside. The cookie has an opening so that the strawberry is visible. The taste of the tender cookie dough is complemented by the sweet strawberry slices inside. The cookies are both attractive and delicious.

Strawberry Surprise Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups white flour
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup butter
8 oz. cream cheese
2 T. water
1 egg
1 pt. fresh strawberries
Granulated sugar

Directions:

Stem, wash and slice the strawberries. Sprinkle the sliced berries with sugar and allow them to stand at room temperature while preparing the dough.

Place the flour, ginger and salt in a tall, medium size mixing bowl. Cut in the butter and cream cheese to form coarse crumbs. Add egg yolk, water, and knead with hands or dough hooks and mixer to form a soft dough. Form the dough into two logs and allow to rest.

Roll one section of the dough, on a lightly flour covered surface, into a 10X10 inch square. Cut the dough into 2 inch squares. Cut a small X in the center of each square being careful not to cut to the edges of the square. Set this section of dough aside. Roll the other section of dough into a 10X10 inch square. Cut the dough into 2 inch squares.

Brush egg white onto the edges of these solid squares; then place strawberry slices in the center of each solid square. Top the filled squares with the reserved squares with the X cut in them. Brush the tops of the cookies with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Use the edge of a fork to lightly press the dough of each cookie together around each edge. Place the joined cookies on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned. Place the cookie on a cookie rack to cool.

Yield: 25 cookies