It’s Valentine’s Day. If you have someone in your life celebrate by helping out your local florist or chocolatier. If you don’t have anyone in your life celebrate by helping out your local liquor store or bar. 🙂
You may be thinking, oh it’s just a cookie, but it’s not. This cookie had all the people who ate it asking what on earth was in them and did I have anymore.
These come from Not Without Salt and the very adorable Ashley who runs that site. Ashley is kind of my blog crush having worked with Sherry Yard (my pastry crush) at Spago…yeah, that Spago. She brought cookies to a meet and greet for the great Helen of Tartlette. She like I often do had made a basic recipe and then just thrown in things she had in the pantry. She had cardamom in hers…I can’t afford that right now. But she also had dried cherries, espresso, chocolate, and a little sea salt on top. Oh my. I loved them like crazy. I wanted the recipe but she didn’t really have one which I actually understand.
So I decided just to take her chocolate chip recipe (which BTW is my go to nowadays) and added the ingredients she used. I came pretty close to what she did so I’m pretty proud of myself.
And lastly a shout out to Arizona for turning 100 years old today. Glad I don’t live there, but you hold some people who are near and dear to me. 🙂
Chocolate Chunk Cherry Espresso Cookies
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Turbinado sugar
1 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cup All Purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. instant coffee (I used Via)
1 ½ cups dried cherries (that have been soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, drained and patted dry)
1 lb. chocolate (use the best quality chocolate you can afford. With a serrated knife cut chocolate chunks roughly 1/2 inch)
1/2 teaspoon good quality salt, for sprinkling on top before baking
Cream the butter and the sugars until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes on medium high.
Scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing while adding the eggs one at time. Make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next.
Add the vanilla and instant coffee. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
Combine the flour, soda and salt in another bowl. With a whisk to combine.
With the machine on low, slowly add the flour. Mix until just combined, taking care not to over mix. With a spatula fold in the chocolate and cherries.
If you so choose, and I do recommend that you do, sprinkle a very fine dusting of good quality sea salt.
Bake at 360* for 12 minutes. They should be lightly golden on the outside but still look gooey on the inside.
Adapted from Not Without Salt
Adam says
I may or may not love chocolate and cherries (I’m not sure I’ve had it outside of Black Forest Cakes… *drool*) but I do love the idea of using an extra hit of salt on the cookies. It’s something that I never think about while I am baking, and then afterwards I imagine how amazing it would taste.
And though I don’t drink, I would buy something from that liquor store just for being awesome :).
Rosa says
Those look incredible! A terrific combo. Really original wit the addition of coffee.
Cheers,
Rosa
Kristine at MapleLake365 says
Those look fantastic!
Chewthefat says
I always salt my chocolate cookies and brownies with crunchy sea salt! I hear you about the price of cardamon though–I would love to bake with it, but can’t afford a tiny bottle that costs as much as meal. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
vanillasugarblog says
LOL! to the last photo.
blah blah blah. classic.
printing this one out; i still have not made cc cookies with cherries–it’s time!
Jill says
ooh yum!!
PattiT. says
These sound like the best chocolate chip (er I mean chunk) cookies I have ever seen. I will have to try these out.
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
Fruit and coffee? I’m pretty sure this cookie is practically breakfast:-)
Erin says
What an unexpected interesting combination for a cookie! I thought they were some kind of Oreo cookie when I first saw them.
Melinda says
These sound really good. Chocolate Chip cookies are my favourite…and smiling! Thank you for doing the detective work and baking to get the recipe right. I didn’t know that cardamom was so expensive. I have 2 full jars in my cupboard. I’d gladly share one with you, if only you were closer or I had your address. The liquor store sign amused me greatly.
Chris says
Heads’ up, people! Get little bits of most spices at your local bulk foods store OR, sometimes, your local health food store! It can be packaged in small quantities or you can scoop-and-bag what you want! Makes experimentation so much more affordable! AND, because you won’t ever have “too much” left, you won’t waste any! This is how I find out where I really want to make a big investment…..but, unfortunately, there are very few spices I don’t like! (I now buy cinnamon and cumin by the POUND!) Have fun!!!
Peabody says
@Chris- cardamon is not usually sold in bulk. I buy my spices in bulk.
Tomasz says
Cherries are brilliant to cookies like these, and I also like the idea of a hint of coffee!
Bronya says
Sorry to be thick (and a bit British) but what’s Turbinado sugar? They look yummy, and I want to make then!
Peabody says
@Bronya -http://www.food.com/library/turbinado-sugar-45
Deepa says
Hey Peabody…a tip…u can buy very very reasonable spices at your local Indian grocery store…i buy a small pkt of cardamom for $5.