Dark Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Fri, Feb 22, 2008

chocolate, cookies

Dark Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Whenever I see some kind of chocolate I’ve not tried before, I usually find some justification for buying it, especially if I can bake with it. Recently, I found Schokinag’s semi-sweet chocolate baking chunks and knew that I had to have them. As much as I use chocolate chips, I knew that they would be put to good use.

Of course, the first test was a simple taste test. Quinn and I both gave them an enthusiastic thumbs up. Then, I started trying to think of just the thing to bake using them. While I flipped through shelves of cookbooks and countless bookmarked recipes, Quinn took the simple approach of unfolding the enclosed recipes and quickly pointed out his recipe choice.

I’ll admit that I probably wouldn’t have picked out this recipe on my own. While I love oatmeal cookies and chocolate chip cookies, the dried cherry component just didn’t appeal to me. However, I have to say that after sampling the finished product, I was extremely glad I made them.

Dark Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

I love the chewiness that oats give to a cookie. The merits of chocolate really need no explanation here. As for the cherries, I was really surprised at how much I liked them. They add a nice tartness to counterbalance all the chocolate. Although I don’t think I’d eat them on their own, their presence in these cookies is just simply delicious.

More of BoB’s chocolate chip/chunk cookies:

Related posts:

  1. Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies
  2. Marbled Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
  3. Chocolate Chunk Pecan Cookies
  4. Sweet and Salty Peanut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
  5. Chocolate Chunk Peanut Cookies
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50 Responses to “Dark Chocolate Chunk and Dried Cherry Oatmeal Cookies”

  1. Scatteredmom Says:

    Omg, those look DELISH.

    I must make em!

  2. Chibiuniverse Says:

    These look so good! I’ve never seen dried cherries before, are they hard to find?

  3. Michelle Says:

    W O W ! ! !

    My husband is currently obsessing over the new Diet Dr Pepper Chocolate Cherry soda and was just saying how I should make him some cookies. I think he would love these! I might try with semi-sweet chocolate, he isn’t a big dark chocolate fan.

    These look like pure yumminess.

  4. Meeta Says:

    WOW! That pops right out of the screen . making me want to take a huge bite. I love cherries and chocolate but pairing them in an oatmeal cookie would never have crossed my mind!

  5. Julia Says:

    I have been looking for an unusual oatmeal cookie recipe for a few weeks and now I can finally stop. These look really good! Beautiful photos too.

    Just curious but where did you find dried cherries? And were they sweetened?

    Thank you for sharing!

    You’re officially added to my RSS feed!

  6. Aran from Cannelle Et Vanille Says:

    I like a good chewy cookie with chocolate chunks and I think this one falls under that category. I love your photos. They really make me hungry!

  7. RecipeGirl Says:

    Nice! Completely delicious looking :)

  8. Amy Says:

    These look delicious! I’ve made something similar, with chopped almonds; the combination of dried cherries, dark chocolate, and oatmeal is killer…now I’m craving them again! I love that top picture – beautiful!

  9. brilynn Says:

    I can’t believe the cherries would have made you think twice about making these, they’re the main draw for me! They look great!

  10. amanda Says:

    I wouldn’ t necessarily have thought “oohh yum cherries!” but after reading your post, they seem like a good addition. Plus that picture is totally drool-worthy.

  11. Mandy Says:

    the combination sounds like a winner to me! And you really have a gift in photography. I can’t never take turn my cookies photos into something so…..desirable. :)

  12. jennifer Says:

    Scatteredmom, I hope you like them!

    Chibiuniverse, I found the dried cherries next to the raisins at my grocery store. They actually had many different dried fruits.

    Michelle, I haven’t tried the chocolate cherry Dr Pepper. But, I bet your husband would like these cookies if he likes that combination.

    Meeta, I probably wouldn’t have made these without Quinn’s urging, but they are so good.

    Thanks, Julia! Look for the cherries next to the raisins. Yes, I believe they were sweetened. They still have quite a tart kick, though.

    Aran, thank you so much!

    Thanks, RecipeGirl!

    Amy, your version sounds delicious. I bet those almonds were a great addition.

    Brilynn, to each his own, I suppose. I am a dried cherry convert now.

    Thanks, Amanda. These cookies made a dried cherry believer out of me!

    Mandy, thank you so much!

  13. Priscilla Says:

    Absolutely delicious looking cookies! You take excellent photos btw!

  14. JEP Says:

    Ingredients sound perfect! This recipe also has all brown sugar (& not as much sugar as a usual cookie recipe) which I like the flavor of better. Have only been able to find the sweetened dried cherries in local markets…I’m off to purchase. Drool-worthy photo, too!

  15. jennifer Says:

    Thanks, Priscilla!

    JEP, I am also a huge fan of brown sugar. Hope you find the dried cherries!

  16. Cork & Feast Says:

    This cookie looks & sounds yummy. I’m a huge fan of dried cherries, dried cranberries and other varieties of mixed, dried fruits. I love adding them to salads (especially the dried cherries!) and bet you could play with this recipe, adding different types of dried fruits to the mix in order to change up the flavor and keep it interesting. Different dried fruits have varying levels of sugar and sweetness, so if you experiment, you might want to tweak the other amounts of sugar in the recipe to compensate for their extra sweetness (or lack there-of.)

  17. Francesca Says:

    I want to try these special cookies.I’ll tell you when.

  18. dhanggit Says:

    oh my god all your cookie photos look outrageously delicious!!! yummy

  19. noble pig Says:

    These look wonderful, a must try.

  20. jennifer Says:

    Cork & Feast, you’re so right. I think you could substitute just about any kind of dried fruit.

    Francesca, I hope you enjoy them!

    Thanks, dhanggit!

    noble pig, let me know what you think if you make them.

  21. Marq Says:

    These look awesome. It’s funny, after all these years of eating raisins, I’ve never seen dried cherries before! lol

    I’m definitely going to give this recipe a shot.

  22. Francesco Says:

    Nammy!!!!
    I would gladly have one or two now next to the coffee I am going to grab.

  23. Patricia Scarpin Says:

    These are sinful, Jen! I have never tried dried cherries, but I love the tart/sweet combination.

  24. jennifer Says:

    Marq, this was my first go with dried cherries. I’m not a raisin fan at all, but I do like other dried fruits.

    Francesco, I’m not a coffee drinker, but I would imagine these would go nicely with some.

    Thanks, Patricia! The tart and sweet sort of balance each other out.

  25. Aran from Cannelle Et Vanille Says:

    Hi Jennifer! I know you have a lot of readers and you have probably been tagged for a meme before but I’m tagging you again. I hope it’s ok!!!

  26. Tartelette Says:

    I am a new addict of the dried cheeries or cranberries in chocolate chip coookies. I was not convinced until B. urged me to make them and then I got hooked. I’ll try this recipe this weekend!

  27. jennifer Says:

    Thanks, Aran.

    Tartelette, I hope you like the cookies!

  28. eh Says:

    i made these tonight but i used cherry flavored craisins. maybe i should try to find real dried cherries because the cherry flavored craisins were definitely gross. the cookies would be fantastic with just the chocolate chips alone, with the only change to the recipe being to omit the cherry craisins. or substitute raisins for the cherries, that would be better, too. just my opinion. :)

  29. michelle Says:

    I made these for another co-workers birthday and they turned out great. I subbed cranberries for cherries as the store was out, and there was no need for a change to the sugar levels that I could tell, they taste perfect. I did grate a bit of the chocolate so the cookies have chunks and a thorough chocolate hint. I love the way they bake up and keep their shape. Another very good recipe.

  30. katy Says:

    oh my goodness… YUM!

  31. jennifer Says:

    Eh, I’ve not tried the cherry flavored craisins. Not sure I’d want to, actually. I’m sure that any kind of dried fruit would work, depending on your preference.

    Michelle, I’m glad you liked them. I bet those cranberries were delicious!

    Katy, that just about sums it up! ;-)

  32. Carla Says:

    This cookies look wonderful! I’ve been visiting your site for quite awhile now. I am in love with your photography (and your girl scout cookie recipes lol).

  33. Carla Says:

    Crap, wrong blog! I swore the girl scout cookies were on here. Now I made a fool of myself and can’t even delete my comment. Still, I love your photography!

  34. jennifer Says:

    Carla, don’t worry about it! Thanks!

  35. Bakerella Says:

    A friend of mine at work made these (she loves your blog, too) She brought me one to taste and they were really yummy. It’s a good thing she only had a few left. I think I would have eaten the whole batch.

  36. jennifer Says:

    I’m so glad you liked them, Bakerella! They’re a bit different, but I’m so glad I tried them.

  37. furiousball Says:

    I just ruined another keyboard with drool. Where do I send the bill? ;-)

  38. jennifer Says:

    furiousball, thanks for this morning’s first laugh!

  39. kim Says:

    Made these this evening for Easter. They turned out perfect. They are sooooo delish!!!

  40. jennifer Says:

    Glad you like them, Kim! Happy Easter!

  41. Maegan Says:

    These are my husband’s new all-time favorite cookie. I make the dough as-is, then freeze chunks of it on a cookie sheet (and then put them into a ziploc when they’re frozen). Then, when he wants a few, I put them in a 400 oven and bake! They’re SO good! (And if you live near an Aldi, dried cherries aren’t very expensive there.) Thanks Jennifer!

  42. jennifer Says:

    Maegan, I’m glad they were a hit! :-)

  43. Becca Says:

    I added a dash of cloves, a bit of dark brown sugar, some regular sugar, and a tbsp or two of butter flavored shortening and my co-workers can’t stop grabbing them. They loved them! I must admit that the cherry adds some zing.

  44. jennifer Says:

    Becca, I’m glad they were a hit! Your additions sound like great ideas.

  45. Puma92 Says:

    I just finished making these…very good…however they didn’t spread for me. But a lot of cookies do not, I actually do not know why it really is a strange phenomena I think my oven is plotting a gainst me…however my second time I lessened the amount of flour and outs and put 1/4 c. White Granulate sugar 3/4 c. Brown and substitute 1/4 c. Shortening and 1 1/4 t. Baking Soda …it worked for me I ALWAYs doctor my cookie recipes to make them spread…..does anybody know why? Any way awesome recipe = )

  46. Julia Says:

    Thanks for all the recipes. These cookies turned out great! I used craisins and semi-sweet chips since they were in the house…I look forward to the cherries (they are just so expensive~ and hard not to eat just on their own!).

  47. smalts Says:

    I want to quote your post in my blog. It can?
    And you et an account on Twitter?

  48. Elizabeth Says:

    Hi! I just came across this post when I was looking for a different kind of oatmeal cookie. These definitely caught my eye! I ran out to the store to get some dried cherries and whipped a batch up last night! My hubby could not stop eating them! They were such a treat! I love the combo of the sweetness and tartness! These will definitely become a new staple in our house! :) Thanks for posting!

  49. Brian Says:

    Just acquired some beautiful dried cherries. THIS is the recipe I will be making. They look stunning!

  50. gloria Says:

    Just got done making these-WOW~ Definitely going on my cookie exchange for this holiday.Thanks!


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