A couple of months ago, I received an advance copy of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. I had great success with the first recipe I tried and marked several others that I wanted to make.
I recently opened the cookbook again and found these cookies just begging to be made. I’ve baked with dried cherries before, but not of the sour variety. Quinn is a big sour cherry fan. Knowing that, I had bought some dried sour cherries with the intentions of making something specifically for him. With his also loving chocolate, these were just the ticket.
These cookies are among the darkest, richest chocolate cookies I’ve ever made. If you’ll notice, they are a much darker color than the chocolate chips. In fact, their color is almost black. That should get the attention of just about any dark chocolate lover.
The cherries aren’t that prevalent. If you like more, then definitely add more. Or, if you’re not excited about them, leave them out all together or substitute another dried fruit. I do think that the cherries add an interesting sweet-and-sour flavor to the cookies that we really liked.
Dried sour cherries can usually be found in grocery stores next to the raisins and other dried fruits. As an alternative, they can also be found online at Nuts Online and Oh Nuts, among others.
Ever since I discovered Sweet Melissa’s talents through this cookbook, I really wanted to visit Sweet Melissa Patisserie in New York. So, on our last trip to our favorite city, we stopped in for lunch in Brooklyn. What a great place! It was a beautiful, if somewhat rainy, day for sitting outside in the garden area. We both enjoyed our lunch, our surroundings, and of course the sweet treats we took with us to indulge in later that day.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips*
- 1/3 cup dried sour cherries
Instructions
Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar about 3 minutes or until fluffy. Add egg and mix well. Stir in vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture in three portions, mixing each just until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips and cherries. Refrigerate dough for a few hours until firm.
Place the dough on a clean work surface and divide in half. Roll out into logs about 12 inches long. Refrigerate for about an hour. Dough can be frozen for a month if wrapped well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line baking sheets. Cut dough into 1-inch slices. Place cookies 1 & 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until cookies look just baked. Do not overbake.
Notes
*Sweet Melissa’s recipe specifically indicates using “best-quality” chocolate, in both the chocolate chips and cocoa powder.
Recipe adapted from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:14 am
Wow look at the dark colour of these cookies..is stunning! I would love to taste them now!
A perfect job indeed!
Always a pleasure cominig here
Silvia
May 27th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Dark chocolate is my favorite!! I also like cherries. So this would be a treat! By the way, the cookies look yummy!
May 27th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Lucky guys, getting to go to NYC! The little bakery looks adorable and the cakes look absolutely sensational. What did you guys end up getting there?
May 27th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Yum! I might try these with and without the cherries. What’s the texture of the cookie like? Hard to tell since they are so deliciously dark. Chewy? Sandy? Crunchy?
May 27th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Thanks, Silvia! It’s always a pleasure to see your kind comments!
Cindy, you should give them a try!
Amanda, we got several little things at Sweet Melissa. A madeleine, a pistachio linzer cookie, and a peanut butter/chocolate little slice of sin.
Amy, these are very soft and chewy. Just like I like them. Let me know what you think if you try them without the cherries.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Pure chocolate sin. That’s what these are! These cookies pack a punch of chocolate and are so rich and chewy. Thanks for sharing these. Jim took some of them to St. Louis with him, and I don’t think they made it to the state line! Even though I’m not a huge cherry fan, I thought they were wonderful. I guess the cherries add texture and not so much flavor…not sure. Either way you look at it, they were wonderful!
May 27th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Oh my gosh, this was the wrong time to look at these cookies! I’m so hungry and their dark chocolate color is definitely calling my name… (the dried, sour cherries sound divine.)
May 27th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
I have been searching for a great recipe to use the cherries I received as a gift from Allen. I think I’ve found it!
May 27th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Gorgeous cookies! The dark chocolate is just calling to me!
May 27th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Those look so good! I really like the sound of these chocolate and cherry cookies!!
May 27th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
OMG these look wonderful.
They remind me of Elsylee’s cookies (www.elsylee.com) & those are amazing. I can’t wait to try these!!!!!!!!
May 27th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I am so jealous! I wish I could’ve been at the bakery with you! Those cookies look amazing too!
May 28th, 2008 at 6:01 am
Look at that chocolate color! What brand of chocolate do you use?
May 28th, 2008 at 8:40 am
Nan, I’m glad Jim had some to take on his trip. Road trips just beg for cookies!
Thanks, Sandie!
Patricia, I hope you like them!
Thanks, Joy!
Kevin, it’s a great combination.
Chloe, I’ll have to check those out. Thanks!
My Sweet & Saucy, Sweet Melissa is definitely an enviable experience.
Warda, I used Schokinag cocoa powder and Guittard chocolate chips.
May 28th, 2008 at 9:20 am
The combination of chocolate and cherry just makes me weak all over.
If I ever wanted to be locked over night anywhere it would be Sweet Melissa’s Bakery – can you just imagine the possibilities?
May 28th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I would LOVE to try these! And that bakery looks delicious!
May 28th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
giz, I think the most likely possibility is that I would be on sugar overload!
Hillary, you should try them!
May 28th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
just to let you know, your cookies always have my full attention. This one is no exception. I have just stocked up on dried cherries (not the sour type though), so this one will definitely be made soon!
May 28th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
These sound wonderful. I love sour cherries as well, but only wish peanut butter could work its way into these chocolate wonders somehow…
May 29th, 2008 at 8:09 am
Cherries and chocolate are one of life’s great teams. They were made to be paired together, don’t you think? These cookies look so choclolatey and good, and cherries just send them over the edge!
May 29th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Darn you make some good looking stuff!
May 29th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Thanks, Mandy! I hope you like the cookies.
Nick, I do love peanut butter, although I’m not sure how that would work with sour cherries.
Elle, the chocolate/cherry combination is definitely delicious!
Thanks, Katrina!
May 29th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I buy deliciously tangy Montgomery dried cherries at Trader Joe’s. And I have some right now, so what excuse do I have not to make these cookies?
May 30th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Susan, sounds like you need to get baking!
May 30th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Amazing bakery. OMG would i love to be there.
Chloe- I have had those cookies & they are absolutely wonderful & so pretty and unique!
May 31st, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Patricia, it’s a glorious bakery!
June 1st, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Great combo, cherries and chocolate make the perfect couple
. I actually recently discovered razzcherries…heard of ‘em? They sell them at a fine foods grocery store here in TX called Central Market. They’re a tad bit sweeter than the tart cherries.
June 1st, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Sophie, I haven’t heard of razzcherries. I will be on the lookout for them!
June 2nd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Oh, the cookies look fabulous! All your creations are so beautiful.
You call yourself an amateur baker? I don’t think so!
June 2nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
TBC, thank you! You’re very sweet.
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:36 pm
OMG!!! That first photo – gasp! I want to eat your blog!
June 3rd, 2008 at 7:14 pm
LOL, Maninas! Thanks.
June 19th, 2008 at 4:09 am
Yummo….. your website is soooo naughty!
June 19th, 2008 at 9:46 am
littlem, but it’s so much fun!