You just can’t have Valentine’s Day without chocolate. It’s a must at least for me. I know there are a few rare people that don’t like chocolate but the majority of us are addicted to it. Reminiscent of a candy you would find in a box of chocolates, I wanted to combine the flavors of chocolate and cherries so I created these Chocolate Cherry Cookies.
They have a brownie like taste to them and combine a chocolate cookie base {made with instant chocolate pudding mix}, dried cherries and chocolate chips.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Special Dark)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 small package (3.9 ounces) chocolate instant pudding
- 2 eggs
- 11.5 ounce package milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup dried cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Combine flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Set aside.
- Beat butter, sugars, vanilla and pudding mix in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Then beat in eggs until well combined.
- Add flour mixture and mix on low until well combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips and cherries.
- Drop cookies about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cookies sit on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
I used a 2 tablespoon (#30) scoop and in my oven they baked for 10 minutes.
I used a spatula to lightly press down the scooped dough so the cookies would bake a little flatter.
The cherry flavor is subtle in these cookies. If you’d like it to be stronger you could certainly substitute cherry extract or juice for the vanilla extract. I didn’t want an artificial cherry taste so I decided to stick with the flavor from the dried cherries alone.
More chocolate treats you might like:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cereal Bars聽by The Cookie Puzzle
Kiss Me Cups by Ellie’s Bites Decorated Cookies
Frozen Snicker’s Peanut Butter Lasagna by Not Your Momma’s Cookie
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OMG! These look amazing…your pictures are BEAUTIFUL…I can almost taste these just by looking at the pictures! I must make these for sure!
Kim @ The Cookie Puzzle recently posted…Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Dipped Bugles
Thanks Kim 馃檪
Melissa recently posted…Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Cherry & Chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations!! I am a sucker for a new cookie recipe- no chips ahoy in my house. Although, my nephew asks for them. 馃檪 Gonna break out the mixer for these soon!
Marci Johnson recently posted…Nothing beats a brownie
Awesome Marci! Hope you enjoy them 馃檪
Melissa recently posted…Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Oh WOW Melissa! I have never seen such beautiful chocolate cookies!!! Pinning now 馃檪
The Bearfoot Baker recently posted…Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwich Recipe
Awww you totally made my day Lisa. Thank you!
Melissa recently posted…Chocolate Cherry Cookies
One of my favorite combinations! I can’t wait to make these 馃檪
And the picture is beautiful!!!! (am I allowed to say that about dessert?)
Stephanie (Ellie’s Bites) recently posted…Inspiration Challenge {Warm & Fuzzy}
Yes you are and thank you so much 馃檪
Melissa recently posted…Chocolate Cherry Cookies
You are so right, Melissa! Chocolate just goes with Vday. Period. And, these are the perfect treat to celebrate with!
Gloria // Simply Gloria recently posted…Show Stopper Saturday Link Party, Featuring Red Velvet Sweets
Cherry and chocolate is hard to beat! Love these cookies! Thanks for linking up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Karly recently posted…Baked Peanut Butter Donuts with Chocolate Glaze