I’m pregnant with another blog! I won’t be revealing the theme of my next “baby” just yet because it needs to grow and mature a bit longer before it makes its grand appearance. To be honest, its been a jerk lately with all of its kicking, and glitching. And don’t get me started with the cravings! When I was pregnant with Project Pastry Love I wanted nothing but baked goods. This one only wants alcohol (hint hint). Oh, and just so we’re clear, this new blog will not take the place of Project Pastry Love (or my human children). PPL is here to stay forever (same with my human children). Hey, let’s make some double chocolate cherry cookies.
I adapted Barbara Scott-Goodman’s chocolate cherry cookie recipe from her lovely book Wine Bites. The original recipe was delicious, but I desired a deeper chocolate flavor, so I added cocoa and espresso powder. That intensified the chocolate taste while allowing each bite of the dried cherries to really zing. I also added an extra egg yolk to tenderize the texture of the cookie. Finally, to bring it to the highest level, I sprinkled a little sea salt over each cookie dough ball right before they went into the oven.
I baked the double chocolate cherry cookies at 375 degrees F. for about 10 minutes. I wanted them to remain somewhat puffy, and that temperature seemed to do just that.
I’ll be in trouble with my friends, Vanessa and Kate, if I don’t leave you with this one last tip: bake the cookies for only 5 minutes if you desire a half-baked, gooey, chocolate-on-your-finger-tips type of cookie. It was a mistake I had made while they were over, and thanks to the drinks we were drinking they happily approved.
- 2 and ¾ cup (344 g) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1/8 tsp. Salt
- ½ cup (43 g) Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp. Instant Espresso Powder
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 225 g) Unsalted Butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) Granulated Sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) Dark Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1 and ½ cups (225 g) Semisweet Chocolate Chips
- ½ cup (85 g) Dried Cherries
- Fine Sea Salt for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (about 5 to 7 minutes). Mix in the vanilla, and then the eggs one at a time until fully combined. Stir in the flour mixture, and then chocolate chips and dried cherries.
- Scoop out dough and place on cookie sheet. Be sure that each scoop is about an inch apart. Sprinkle the tops with a pinch of sea salt, and bake for about 10 minutes.
- Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy!
- Cookie sheet
- Mixer (hand held or standing)
- Cookie scoop
- Wire rack
