I found a couple of recipes for strawberry cheesecake cookies.
Some say to use fresh, some say frozen, some say dehydrated, and most say not to use frozen.
What would be the best choice for this type of cookie?
I am looking for some recipes that are tried and true.
Thank you
In regard to fruit choice…
When working with fruit-based recipes, the most important consideration is the fruit’s water content—and how that excess moisture is managed.
Strawberries, for example, are about 92% water. High-water-content fruits like strawberries are generally not used in low-hydration doughs or batters, because the combination of sugar and oven heat causes the fruit to release moisture, which can lead to soggy results.
In cake batters, excess fruit water can often be balanced by adjusting overall hydration; and the flour can absorb more moisture when liquid ingredients are reduced. In pie fillings, thickeners like cornstarch or tapioca flour are used to stabilize the extra liquid.
Cookie dough, however, is different. It is a low hydration dough; its water comes entirely from eggs and butter, leaving no room to reduce liquid without compromising structure. This makes it unsuitable for incorporating fresh high-water-content fruits into cookie dough—unless their moisture is reduced first.
To use fresh strawberries in cookie dough, you must cook out a lot of the excess water either by roasting them in the oven or cooking them down on the stovetop. Both methods concentrate flavor by evaporating water and reducing the fruit’s natural sugars into a more intense form.
Frozen fruit is not ideal, as the freezing process damages cell walls, causing the fruit to release even more water when thawed. Attempting to roast or cook frozen fruit to reduce moisture usually results in mushy texture due to already compromised structure and prolonged exposure to heat.
Freeze-dried fruit offers another option. While the taste and texture are quite different—crisp rather than juicy—that contrast can be an advantage, adding textural interest to cookies.
So in reviewing recipes, you need to consider whether you want to work with fresh fruit or dried. And if you decide to use fresh, you need to look at how the excess water is managed.
