The idea for these cherry-chocolate chip cookies came to me during a summer sugar craving.  I had a hankering for a sweet with a summery component, but didn’t have any fresh fruit on hand. I did, however, have cookie ingredients and plenty of dried fruit in the pantry.

As it turns out, there is something about the tart cherries together with the sweet chocolate that takes these cookies to another level.  And I can attest, they make a lovely dinner (on occasion).

Cherry – Chocolate Chip Cookies:

2 sticks butter, softened

1 C. granulated sugar

1/2 C. packed dark brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 C. + 2 Tbsp. A.P. flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 C. oats

1 C. dried tart cherries (or unsweetened dried cherries), chopped if the cherries are large

1 3/4 C. chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and sugars.  Add the egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and powder, and salt.  Mix thoroughly and then combine with the wet ingredients, stirring until everything just comes together.  Add the oats, cherries and chocolate chips and stir to distribute everything evenly.

Roll dough into 1.5” balls and place onto heavy cookie sheets at least 2” apart (use silpats, if you have them – they really help to prevent the bottoms of the cookies from burning). Push the dough balls down slightly and bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating once, until golden brown on the edges.