Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Strawberry season is here which means they are cost friendly, sweet and juicy!  What better time to experiment with my favorite fresh fruit! These cookies turned out delicious, I mean, who wouldn't expect strawberries and chocolate to taste good together? They go together like PB&J, cheese and wine, spaghetti and meatballs… some things are just meant to be! 

Side note: It's extremely important to use a cooling rack after your cookies are baked! When cookies are left to cool on a baking sheet, they continue to bake and become overdone. A rack allows air to circulate under the cookies, cooling them quickly! My wire rack is from the baking expert themselves, Chicago Metallic Bakeware! 

Yields 12 cookies 

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole grain flour (gluten-free can be substituted)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 tbsp Earth Balance Butter
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Whisk together dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, egg and vanilla. Add in the maple syrup.
3. Add the flour mixture into the wet mixture and mix well.
4. Fold in the strawberries and chocolate chips and let the cookie dough chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 
5. Preheat the oven to 325 and line your baking sheet with parchment paper
6. Scoop out cookie dough (I used an ice-cream scooper); each cookie should be about 1 1/2 inch. Flatten the cookies slightly using a spatula. 
7. Bake for 11-14 minutes. Don't forget to cool on your wire rack!