Fresh Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies

Happy Valentine's Day Eve! Boy, have I got an awesome recipe for you to make your loved ones for tomorrow. And even better news? The base of the recipe comes from a box, so it doesn't even make too much of a mess! I love the texture of cake-like cookies because they're deliciously soft and melt in your mouth. They really are so, so good.

I used fresh strawberries in this recipe, and I really think that extra step added a lot of flavor. Sure, you can use strawberry cake mix if you really want to, but why exclude fresh, sweet strawberries if you don't have to? Strawberries mixed with chocolate are a no-brainer, so obviously these cookies are over-the-top good. They're a pale shade of pink (so feel free to add a little red food coloring if you really want the pink to pop) and a sweet treat to give the one you love. Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup very ripe strawberries, sliced
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 box (18.25 oz) vanilla cake mix
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Red food coloring
• 1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Extra chocolate chips, for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Put strawberries in a bowl and top with sugar. Stir to combine. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Use a fork to mash the strawberries into large chunks (if your strawberries aren't that ripe, you might need to add them to a blender or food processor and blend slightly, leaving chunks). Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and baking powder. Add the reserved strawberries, eggs, oil and vanilla and stir to combine. Add a few drops of red food coloring to make a light pink color, if desired, and stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop 2 tbsp. of dough shaped into a ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving about 2 inches in between cookies.

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.

Source: SK Original