Cherry Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are soft, chocolaty, moist and everything happy! I am munching on one as I type this post. These are super simple to make with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. When it comes to cookies I prefer the soft ones to the shortbread - somehow the buttery flavor and the crunch of the shortbread cookies is not very compatible with my taste buds. I mean its great for dunking in a hot beverage but I still like the softer/cake-ish cookie better. What do you prefer soft or shortbread?

This recipe is probably very similar to what you’ve been making already but with a few twists (good twists) here and there. I threw in some fresh cherries because that’s what I had in my fridge and also because I like the cherry chocolate combo, but feel free to add any fruit of your choice as long as its not very watery. Raisins would taste wonderful in these cookies as well.

I also added some almond meal which gave it a nice underlying flavor and a great texture. Some nutella would work fantastic in these cookie as well - just replace the almond meal with nutella and adjust the flour quantity accordingly, you don’t want the batter to become runny.

Also, these cookies are great to make if you are having friends over for coffee, in that case you can dress emm up with some whipped cream and melted chocolate and garnish with cherries. I like to eat them as is because they are so yummy.

Serving about 16 cookies

Cooking time 15 min + baking time

Things you will need:

2 eggs

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

½ cup almond meal

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa

½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted

½ cup butter at room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup chopped fresh cherries

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper or by spraying it with non-stick spray.
2. In a bowl mix all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder together. Keep aside.
3. Whisk the sugar and butter together till it turns pale and creamy.
4. Add in the eggs and continue to whisk.
5. Add melted chocolate and cocoa and whisk till everything in combined well.
6. Mix the flour and almond meal to form a smooth batter.
7. Add cherries and mix.
8. Using a small ice cream scoop or two spoons, form dough balls and place on the baking sheet, a few inches apart and bake for 11 to 13 minutes.
9. Cool completely before serving.

To dress up the cookies

Make a round imprint in the center of the cookies as soon as you pull them out of the oven - you can use a back of the spoon or anything that is round and is smaller than the cookie, I used the smaller side of pestle. You want the cookies to resemble a thumbprint cookie.

Now either whip up some heavy cream with a little bit or sugar or melt some chocolate in the microwave and fill up the round imprint in the cookie with it and top with a fresh or canned cherries. Arrange in a pretty plate and serve.