Lately it feels like I'm a hamster on a wheel, trying frantically to keep up with the months as they race by at breakneck speed. I mean, I'd only just barely gotten used to the fact that it's already fall, and then wham! Snow.
(OK, so it was just a little flurry on a lazy Saturday morning. But still... it was literally the first day of November, dammit. Give me a week or two to acclimatise, please!)
My first reaction was to pull the covers over my head and spend the rest of the day hiding in bed, but I'd already planned on spending the weekend preparing for Cookie Week, so I dragged myself out of bed and decided (after chugging a couple of coffees to fortify myself) that this wasn't such a bad way to spend a cold, winter-is-almost-here sort of day. It's hard to stay grumpy when there are homebaked cookies to look forward to.
That's especially true when the cookies in question are these Chocolate Cherry Chews, which pair up tart dried cherries with semisweet chocolate in one ooey-gooey cookie-shaped package.
In the hierarchy of chocolate desserts, these cookies land somewhere between a delicate meringue and a gooey brownie, with a crisp outer shell that gives way to a gooey, chewy, chocolatey centre. They're almost tooth-achingly sweet, but the cherries provide a much needed pop of tartness to keep things in balance.
These work especially well for chasing away the is-it-winter-already blues because chocolate, as everyone knows, has magical happiness-inducing properties. I'm firmly convinced that this effect is doubled when the chocolate in question is baked into something gooey and sweet. I mean, have you met anyone who doesn't smile when presented with a chewy still-warm brownie? (OK, so maybe there are some exceptions to this rule. But they're just weird.)
Unfortunately, the magical properties of chocolate won't make the snow go away or slow down the weeks between now and winter's official arrival, but at least they'll soften the blow somewhat.
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- 4 oz semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup dried cherries
- ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a double-boiler or in the microwave, melt the chocolate and butter together until smooth and combined. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the cooled melted chocolate with eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just barely combined. Fold in the dried cherries and chocolate chips. (The batter may look a little runny, almost like brownie batter. This is perfectly fine. Resist the urge to add more flour!)
- Drop heaping tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing 2" apart. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are shiny and crackly on top and set around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Welcome to the second annual Cookie Week, hosted by Kim of Cravings of a Lunatic and Susan of The Girl In the Little Red Kitchen! I'm teaming up with 10 other talented bloggers to bring you five fantastic days of cookie recipes to get you into the holiday spirit. Whether you're prepping for a holiday cookie exchange or having friends and family over for sweet treats, it's time to break out the flour, butter, sugar and eggs, because we've got you covered!
Make sure to stop by and check out all the great cookies by today's Cookie Week participants:
- Double Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie by Cravings of a Lunatic
- Pumpkin Cookie Cups with Biscoff Buttercream by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Chocolate-Cherry Chews by Crumb
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies by Cooking in Stilettos
- Cranberry, White Chocolate, Crystallized Ginger Cookies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Dark and Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies by Hungry Couple
- Dulce de Leche Filled Brownie Sandwich Cookies by Mind Over Batter
- Muffin Top Cookies by Food Lust People Love
- Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies by Chocolate Moosey
- Pumpkin Eggnog Cookies by Jen's Favorite Cookies
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Come and spend the winter here in Vancouver, Izz! Besides the huge dump of snow we got in 2008, we haven't had snowy winters since I was in high school. And bring a few dozen of these cookies. Damn, they look gloriously chocolatey and chewy! Good call on adding dried cherries for that contrast in flavour and texture.
Kim Beaulieu says
Okay these cookies are freaking amazing. You know I have a serious weakness for all things chocolate and and all things cherry. These are sheer perfection.
I'm so happy you joined us for Cookie Week. This was fun. And remarkably low stress.
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
I am NOT ready for snow! My father would really enjoy these cookies; they are some of his favorite flavors!
sara says
These cookies look AWESOME!! Totally in love. :)
My favorite holiday cookie to bake is peanut butter blossoms. :)
Susan says
No you see when cookies have this much chocolate and you can totally see they do with how dark they are, they are not too sweet. No they are just perfect and I'll need one or a dozen please.
Amy M. C. says
I love a good iced sugar cookie...all year long! The secret ingredient that makes my sugar cookies so good is sour cream.
Heather says
My favorite cookie to make around the holidays are white chocolate and cranberry cookies, but these look delicious. Might need to mix it up!
Katrina says
Ooh, these look delicious. I love chocolate and cherry together. Favorite holiday cookie--ginger cookies, chewy rather than snappy.
Heather says
My favorite cookie during the holidays is the Andes Mint cookies. The perfect match of mint and chocolate!
Sarah says
I want these. Now. And you're right. There should be no snow yet. It's been a long year that way.
Angela {Mind Over Batter} says
It can't be winter. It just can't. I'm still suffering PTSD over last winter. I developed a twitch in my left eye when someone mentions snow. I need to console myself in a corner with these endorphin releasing cookies.
Alison H. says
My favorite cookie to bake over the holidays are green & red m&m cookies!
Liz says
Oh, man, glossy chocolate deliciousness! And then you add dried cherries...swooning over these babies.
Stacy says
Every year my sister gets chocolate-covered cherries for her December 27th birthday. That may change this year. Your cookies look much better than those old boxed cherries!