We recently spent a few days in the Middleburg (Loudoun County), Virginia area. This area is also known as horse country. Driving around you see horse farms all over. It’s hard to believe that it’s only about 40 miles west of the hustle and bustle of Washington D.C.
We stayed at The Red Fox Inn & Tavern in Middleburg. It was built in 1728 and is the oldest continuously operating inn in the United States. It is a charming place with a variety of different sleeping rooms all individually decorated. We enjoyed breakfast (delivered to our room) each morning on our private patio overlooking a little courtyard. The Inn has two great restaurants (Tavern and Pub) and bar. It’s perfectly situated on the main road (Washington Street) so you can walk to shops and other restaurants.
There were a lot of personal touches including freshly baked Strawberries and Cream Cookies in our room each afternoon. There was a QR code to access the recipe for these tasty cookies but it wasn’t working. I texted the front desk and was rewarded with the recipe. One of the many reasons I love traveling is the ability to enjoy food and drink and bring home a recipe (or some idea of how to make it) to prepare at home (and ideally share it here).
One of the good things about these cookies is that you can make them any time of the year – whenever you need a taste of summer. The strawberries are dried – not fresh. I started by cutting each strawberry into small pieces with a paring knife and realized that was going to take me quite a long time, so I switched to a chef’s knife and minced them all at once (after flattening them).
There is no actual ‘cream’ in these cookies. There is white chocolate which imparts a creamy and vanilla flavor. Given my choice of chocolate, I always go dark. But there is a place for white chocolate and it’s in these cookies. The white chocolate allows the strawberries to shine.
The Red Fox Inn & Tavern doubles the size of these cookies (you can as well – check out the recipe Notes). I prefer a smaller cookie so I used a smaller (1 tablespoon scoop). Be sure to take them out of the oven just before they are done as they will continue to bake on the cookie sheet. These cookies also freeze well – make a batch now and freeze a few for later.
I was also inspired to make a Blackberry Old Fashioned after having lunch at Hunter’s Head Tavern in Upperville – about 10 minutes from where we stayed.
I highly recommend a visit to Middleburg and the surrounding area along with a stay at The Red Fox Inn & Tavern. It’s a little over three hours from our home in Chester County, Pennsylvania.
| Strawberries and Cream Cookies | Print |
- 1-1/4 cups (4.5 to 5 ounces) sun-dried strawberries
- 6 ounces white chocolate (from a bar(s), not chips)
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1-1/4 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature (see Notes)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Flatten the strawberries as best as you can. Using a chef’s knife, chop them into small pieces (the smaller the better). Set aside. (This is more efficient than cutting up each strawberry using a paring knife).
- Chop the white chocolate into small pieces. Set aside.
- Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Using a mixer (stand or hand), cream the butter and white sugar on medium until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, ensuring that each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
- Add in vanilla extract.
- Adjust the mixer to the lowest speed and slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until they are well incorporated.
- Add in strawberries and white chocolate and mix enough to combine.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion cookie dough balls and place on the prepared cookie sheet very close together. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes and no more than 45 minutes.
- While cookie dough is in the freezer, preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Place each rounded scoop (don't flatten) of dough 1-1/2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom. They should look a bit undercooked – that’s okay and desired.
- Cool on the cookie sheet (they will continue to cook a bit).
* Wrap eggs in a kitchen towel and leave for 30 minutes to reach room temperature.
* The original recipe calls for larger cookies. Double the size of the scoop and place them four inches apart. You may need a few minutes additional baking time. Makes 26 to 28 cookies.
Source: Variation on a recipe from The Red Fox Inn & Tavern
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