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Dark Chocolate-Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

September 5, 2009

I am a big fan of giving and receiving consumable gifts — tickets to a show, a gift certificate to a great restaurant, or a gourmet food item like really incredible olive oil. No one needs another tchotchke lying around. But for some reason, I don’t normally make food gifts myself.

I did today, though. This treat reminds me of a gourmet trail mix, in cookie form. It’s flourless, so the dough is a little crumbly but once they’re baked the cookies hold together surprisingly well and are pleasingly chewy. The slightly tart cherries, bittersweet dark chocolate, and mellow brown sugar dough are, to me, perfectly balanced and not overly sweet.

Dark Chocolate-Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
Inspired by Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes 30 cookies

1/2 c. butter (1 stick)
4 c. quick-cooking oats
3/4 c. light brown sugar, loosely packed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. dried, unsweetened cherries
2 whole large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips (or similar)

Preheat oven to 325° F and line two baking sheets with foil or parchment paper (this will help the cookies release easily without breaking apart).

In a microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove, melt butter and then set aside to cool.

Combine oats, sugar, salt, and cherries in a large mixing bowl. Beat eggs, egg whites, and vanilla together in a small bowl, and then stir into the oats mixture, making sure ingredients are well-combined. Once butter has cooled for a few minutes, stir into the rest of the ingredients. Finally, incorporate the chocolate chips.

Rinse your hands in cool water and shake them off — you’re going to roll the cookie dough into balls, and damp hands will help keep the dough from sticking to you. Repeat this step as needed.

Scoop about a soup spoon’s worth of dough from the bowl and roll it into a ball, flattening it slightly when you place it on your lined cookie sheet. (The cookies will not spread while baking.)

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are just turning golden brown. Allow to cool before removing from the pan, and store in an air-tight container.

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Filed under: Dessert

Tags: Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips, chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies, cooking, Dark Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies, eggs, food, whole