Thimbleberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These Thimbleberry Cookies are quite special and dangerously delicious. Although this recipe calls for thimbleberries, raspberries can also be substituted. Using a cake mix as a base makes these cookies simple to prepare, soft, and yummy. So the next time you pick some thimbleberries, save half a cup to make these tasty cookies!

Why This Recipe Works

It's common knowledge that raspberries and white chocolate go very well together. Since thimbleberries are very similar to raspberries, I decided that these cookies were begging for some white chocolate chips. I think you'll be glad that I did!

The other ingredients in this Thimbleberry Cookies recipe only add to the yumminess! I love using unsweetened chipped coconut in this recipe, sweetened coconut might just tip the scale over to the "overly sweet category."

I think that you'll agree that these cookies are scrumptious, especially with a hot cup of coffee or a tall glass of cold milk. I'll let you make the call!

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Thimbleberries— Pick thimbleberries that are bright red and clean.
Pudding— Besides coconut-flavored pudding, you can use other flavors to mix things up. The banana flavor is excellent, and so is lemon, although a bit overpowering.
Cake Mix— White cake mix works best in this recipe, but feel free to try other flavors.
Oil— Although I use coconut oil in this recipe, you can also use vegetable oil.

How to Make This Recipe

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

Mix cake mix and pudding mix in a stand mixer. If coconut oil is solidified, microwave it for 30 seconds. Add coconut oil and mix to combine.

blue mixer with cake mix and oil being added

Add both eggs and beat until incorporated.

Mix in macadamia nuts (if using) followed by white chocolate chips.

cake batter in a mixing bowl with nuts added

cake batter with nuts and white chocolate chips

Finally, add chipped coconut and thimbleberries. Mix on low just until combined.

cookie batter with thimbleberries and coconut

Using a large cookie scoop, scoop 12 portions of dough and arrange on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

thimbleberry cookie batter being scooped out of the bowl

unbaked cookies on a parchment lined tray

Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to set for a few minutes before cooling on a wire rack.

thimbleberry cookies on a cutting board and some on a cookie tray

Recipe FAQ's and Expert Tips

How do you identify a Thimbleberry?

Thimbleberries are pretty easy to spot. Thimbleberry bushes have large, velvety leaves that resemble maple or grape leaves. The bushes can grow to be six to seven feet tall.

Some Thimbleberry varieties have white flowers, while others have pink flowers. The berries are light pink when unripe and turn a deep red once ripened.

What does a thimbleberry taste like?

Thimbleberries taste similar to raspberries but more intense. They are slightly tart and not overly sweet. They have a very pleasant flavor that my husband recently described as reminiscent of watermelon.

What do you do with thimbleberries?

These tasty berries can be eaten off the vine or used in various thimbleberry recipes. Use them in your morning shake or smoothies or to make some delicious Thimbleberry Jam. If you don't have enough of them, you can mix them in with other berries to make a berry jam.

Of course, you can also use them to make cookies, and the best part, you only need ½ of a cup of thimbleberries to make these cookies.

When are Thimbleberries ripe?

Thimbleberries are native to the Pacific Northwest. They flower in June and ripen in July through September.

Where do Thimbleberries grow?

These tasty berries grow wild in the mountains of Western North America. They grow from sea level in the north, up to 10,000 feet in elevations in the south.

Sometimes thimbleberries are covered in dust and dirt because they grow on the side of the road. Sure, you can rinse the dirt off, you just won't be able to enjoy some while you're picking the berries.

Picking from areas that are set back from the road is always a better option, if you can find them.

How do you pick thimbleberries?

Thimbleberries have a very velvety texture. They are very fragile, more than raspberries. When picking thimbleberries, all you have to do is gently pull them off the "bulb."

It's easy for these delicate berries to smear in your hands while they're being plucked. When that happens, plop what's left in your mouth and keep going!

If they are dry, they can still be picked and eaten. Think of it as nature's way of dehydrating them for us.

Try making these cookies with other flavored cake mixes to get different results. Some suggestions include lemon, chocolate, or yellow cake mix.
You can also use different pudding mixes including vanilla, cheesecake, and banana.
Although I use macadamia nuts in these cookies, walnuts would also be an excellent choice. If you don't like nuts, leave them out.
As mentioned in the introduction, raspberries may be substituted for thimbleberries.

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