Strawberry and Milk – My Favorite Combination Since Childhood
Strawberries and milk have always been one of my favorite flavor combinations. While there are many classic ingredient pairings enjoyed around the world, this one has held a special place in my heart since I was a child.
Growing up in Japan, I loved eating fresh strawberries drizzled with condensed milk, sometimes with a splash of whole milk as well. We even had special spoons designed just for this treat. Known as the ichigo spoon (ichigo means “strawberry” in Japanese), it features a small fork at the tip and a textured bowl that makes it easy to crush strawberries without letting them slip away. It was invented in Japan in the 1960s and became a nostalgic kitchen item in many households.
On a recent trip to Japan, I also came across a Strawberry Milk Baumkuchen at MUJI. Baumkuchen, which means “tree cake” in German, is a traditional European cake known for its beautiful concentric rings. It is made by brushing thin layers of batter onto a rotating spit over heat, allowing each layer to brown before the next is added. When sliced, the layers resemble the growth rings of a tree. The strawberry milk version was soft and moist, with a delicate tang from the strawberries balanced by the creamy sweetness of white chocolate. It was absolutely delicious.
Another memorable strawberry-and-milk dessert I recently enjoyed was a Mexican paleta. Made with fresh strawberries, milk, and a generous drizzle of condensed milk, it was incredibly refreshing, creamy, and satisfying. It reminded me once again that strawberries and milk are simply a match made in heaven.
Inspired by these delicious memories, I created these soft Strawberry Milk Cookies. Completely dairy-free, egg-free, and gluten-free. Instead of butter, I used extra virgin olive oil, and rice flour replaces wheat flour for a wonderfully tender texture. The cookies are light and soft, with a delicate vanilla flavor, subtle tartness from the strawberries, and a creamy, milky sweetness from vegan white chocolate. They’re not only delicious but also adorable, making them a perfect homemade gift for family and friends.
Source – Wikipedia “Baumkuchen”
Vegan Gluten-free Strawberry Milk Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheet (46cm (18") x 33cm (13") x 3.5cm (1.4"))
Ingredients
Vanilla cookie dough
- 40 g (2 tbsp + 2 tsp) Soy milk
- 80 g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) Sugar
- 1 g (2 pinches) Salt
- 20 g (1 tbsp) Maple syrup
- 8 g (1 1/2 tsp) Vanilla paste
- 80 g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 170 g (1 1/3 cups) Brown rice flour
- 40 g (1/3 cup) Corn starch
- 4 g (1 tsp) Baking powder
Strawberry White Chocolate
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Vegan white chocolate
- 12 g (1/4 cup) Freeze-dried strawberries
Topping
- Freeze-dried strawberries
NOTE: For best results, measure ingredients with a scale using grams. Cup measurements (US customary units) are provided for your convenience but are not always accurate.
Instructions
Vanilla cookie dough
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
- Line the baking sheet with Silpain or parchment paper.
- Combine the soy milk, sugar, and salt, and mix until uniform.
- Add the maple syrup, vanilla paste, and olive oil, and whisk until the mixture becomes slightly creamy.
- Sift the rice flour, corn starch and baking powder together.
- Add the rice flour mixture to the olive oil mixture until well combined and uniform.
- Because rice flour doesn’t contain gluten, you don’t need to worry about mixing it too much.
- The dough should be soft and slightly sticky but if it’s too sticky, add a bit of rice flour.
- Scoop the dough with a spoon (15~20g each), shape it into small balls, and place them on a prepared baking sheet.
- Gently press your thumb or the backside of a spoon or a small ice cream scoop into the center to create a well.
- If the dough sticks to your fingers or the spoon, grease them with a bit of oil.
- Bake them in the oven at 175°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes.
- Take them out of the oven and press the center of the each cookie again with a spoon or a small ice cream scoop.
- Put them back into the oven and bake for another 5 minutes until the top is set and the bottoms are slightly golden.
- Let them cool completely.
Strawberry milk chocolate
- Melt the vegan white chocolate in either a double boiler or a microwave slowly.
- If you use a microwave, check the chocolate every 10 seconds and stir well. As white chocolate is easy to burn, and once it’s burnt, it won’t be smooth anymore, make sure to increase the temperature of the chocolate little by little.
- Put the freeze dried strawberries in a ziplock bag and crush them to small pieces either using a hand or a rolling pin.
- Combine the melted white chocolate with the crushed freeze dried strawberries.
- Fill a piping bag with the strawberry white chocolate. Placing the piping bag in a cup makes it easier to fill with chocolate.
- Pipe the strawberry white chocolate in the well of each cookie (about 5g each).
- Sprinkle crushed freeze dried strawberries on top.
- Let the chocolate cool and harden.
Notes
- You can use any type of oil in this recipe. I personally like to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil in baking and cooking for the health benefits.
- This time, I used vegan strawberry white chocolate to fill the well but you can also use other fillings like dark chocolate with diced almonds and fruit jams.
- These cookies can be kept in an airtight container in a room temperature for up to a week or wrap them individually with plastic wrap and keep them in the freezer up to a few months.
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