Last summer, I fell in love with strawberries. Again.
On a random Wednesday afternoon, I drove up the winding, narrow mountain roads edged by gigantic boulders threatening to fall at any second to visit my parents for the night. They had rented a spacious “cabin” (which practically resembled a mansion) for a week as a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and to relax.
The following morning, we slathered on sunscreen and hopped in the car to reach the dusty trailhead for one of my parents’ favorite hikes. Armed with water, peanuts, and honey mustard pretzels, we climbed the steep rocks under the beating sun until we reached the first of five lakes.
And covered ourselves head-to-toe in bug spray. Calm waters attract awe-inspired hikers and lots of mosquitoes!
To avoid another person’s dog splashing in the shallows, we continued on to the second and third lakes before pausing to rest and drink in the scenery. Blue skies, green trees, and bright white rocks… It all convinced me to spend the rest of the day peacefully sitting by the water.
Until my stomach rumbled and ominous gray clouds appeared in the distance. As addictive as those honey mustard pretzels were, my body craved fresh fruit and refused to get caught up there in a thunderstorm!
We hustled back down the mountain to Dad’s car below and drove back to the safety of the cabin. After rinsing off the sunscreen and bug spray in the shower, we set up a build-your-own sandwich bar on the kitchen counter, piling our plates high with whole wheat bread, Dijon mustard, spinach, pepperoncinis, pickles, and deli meat just before the clouds broke open.
As we sat on the sofa in the great room, gazing out through the two-story floor-to-ceiling windows at the drops pelting the glass and the lightning striking over the lake in the distance, I bit into one of the strawberries Mom had set out from the fridge. And nearly dropped the fruit in surprise.
Plump and deep red, it released so much juice from its soft flesh that it practically melted in my mouth like chocolate. Despite living in an area where grocery stores stock strawberries year-round, it had been years since I tasted one so fresh, so ripe, so juicy… And I fell in love all over again.
But I never found another basket of strawberries that deliciously sweet for the rest of the summer, and I nearly gave up hope… But then I stumbled upon the sale at my local grocery store this past week. I bought two pounds on a whim, brought them home, and popped a freshly washed berry into my mouth.
Memories of last summer and those ripe post-hike strawberries flooded back, and all intentions of baking with them flew straight out the window. I ate strawberries morning, noon, and night for two days until the basket disappeared, so… I had to improvise so I could still make these Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies to share with you!
Instead of fresh strawberries, I turned to frozen. (Those strawberries in the picture? They’re all I managed to save from the two pounds!) Yes, I could’ve picked up another basket at the grocery store, but with my lack of control around fruit, that second batch probably would’ve disappeared the same way as the first! Besides, using frozen fruit means you can bake these cookies year-round, instead of just during strawberry season. It’s a win-win!
I used my favorite oatmeal cookie recipe as the base. Many of you have tried and loved those cookies too—they’re the most popular recipes on my blog for a reason! No butter, no refined flour or sugar, and all of the chewy cookie texture. They’re irresistible!
However, this cookie dough must be chilled for at least 1 hour. The frozen strawberries release water as they thaw, and they’ll release more juice while the cookies bake. Chilling for longer allows the oats to soak up the additional moisture and prevents the cookies from spreading into flat pancakes in the oven. Watch my video to see what the texture of the dough should look like after chilling and just before baking!
Because the strawberries release juice while baking, I highly recommend shaping the mounds of cookie dough to be taller than they are wide. This helps ensure that the cookies have a little thickness instead of ending up paper-thin!
Then pour a glass of milk, wait for them to cool, and dive right in!
| Strawberry Oatmeal Cookies | | Print |
- 1 c (100g) instant oats (measured correctly)
- ¾ c (90g) whole wheat flour (measured correctly)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp (28g) coconut oil or unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ c (120mL) honey
- ¾ c (105g) frozen unsweetened whole strawberries, thawed slightly and diced
- Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the honey. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Fold in the strawberries. Chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Drop the cookie dough into 15 rounded scoops onto the prepared sheet, ensuring that the mounds are as tall as they are wide. Bake at 325°F for 14-17 minutes. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
Instant oats are also known as quick-cooking or minute oats. They come in large canisters, just like old-fashioned oats. They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal.
To make your own instant oats, measure the same amount of old-fashioned oats. Add them to a food processor, and pulse 7-10 times or until about half of their original size. Proceed with the recipe as directed.
The strawberries must be measured before dicing. Do not add more than the recipe calls for. The strawberries release juice while they bake, which will cause the cookies to spread to be flat and thin while they bake. If using fresh strawberries, the cookie dough may be chilled for 15-30 minutes less.
Agave or maple syrup may be substituted for the honey. Alternatively, ½ cup (106g) brown sugar + ¼ cup (60mL) milk may be substituted as well. The chilling and baking times stay the same.
For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free instant oats and a gluten-free flour blend. I recommend the following blend: ½ cup (60g) millet flour, 2 tablespoons (15g) tapioca flour, 2 tablespoons (17g) brown rice flour, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum.
If the cookies are still really flimsy after cooling on the baking sheet for 15 minutes and threaten to break apart, let them cool completely to room temperaure on the baking sheet.
For all other questions regarding the recipe, including ingredient substitutions, please see my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ + Video page.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
More strawberry cookie recipes from other food bloggers…
♥ Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies by Sally’s Baking Addiction
♥ Strawberry Chip Cookies by Mandy’s Recipe Box
♥ Strawberry Lemonade Valentine Linzer Cookies by Neighborfood
♥ Strawberry Pudding Cookies by Lil’ Luna
I loved the flavor of these cookies. My husband thought they were a little dry. Turned out that just meant that I ate the whole batch myself!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed the cookies Cynthia! If your husband thought they were dry, there was probably too much flour or oats in the cookie dough. Did you measure them as instructed in the link in the Ingredients list? Oats act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture, so too many in the cookie dough will definitely give the cookies a drier texture, instead of turning out extremely chewy! 🙂
I think I measured correctly. My batch did yield more than 15 cookies so I think I made then too small and therefore baked then longer than needed which could have also dried them out.
That would definitely do it Cynthia! If you end up with more cookies than the recipe calls for, I’d suggest checking on them at least a minute or two before the first time listed in the Instructions. That should really help with the chewy texture! 🙂
These cookies are seriously amazing. Sweet and moist and just what an oatmeal cookie should be. I added a tablespoon extra of oats and found that they spread just the right amount without being too thin or thick. I did use fresh strawberries, so maybe that helped.
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies Harmony! 🙂
Wondering if you could substitute frozen blueberries for the strawberries?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Jullie! You can substitute frozen blueberries, but they’ll stain your cookie dough a slight gray color. I recommend using ½ cup instead. I can’t wait to hear what you think of these oatmeal cookies!
I thought the cookies will be a bit crunchy but they are very soft More like in a bite side. But still very good not too sweet . ?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Mery! If you read the recipe description in the recipe box, I mention that these cookies are chewy — not crunchy! I know it can be easy to miss. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed them!
What’s the shelf life of these cookies?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Melody! I’ve actually included that information directly underneath the recipe title in the recipe box. I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 If you’d like them to last longer, then store them in the refrigerator — I’ve had them last at least 5 days longer that way! (They also freeze well!) 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think of them if you try making this recipe!
I am sooooo sorry! Yes I totally missed it! Thank you. I am getting ready to make right now 🙂
No worries whatsoever Melody — it happens ALL the time! 😉 I’m really excited to hear how your cookies turn out!!
Can I substitute the flour for almond flour?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Victoria! I’ve actually answered this exact question on my Oatmeal Cookie FAQ Page, and there’s a link to that FAQ Page in the Notes section of the recipe (located directly underneath the Instructions!). I know it can be easy to miss! 😉 I’m really looking forward to hearing what you think of these cookies!