Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies

Last week I was greeted by the beautiful site of the Taste Magazine from the Culinary Institute of America. After a quick (okay, looong) look through it, finding too may classes I want to return to New York for, I found myself stuck on page 18.

Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies.

Something about the picture lured me in. It wasn’t fancy, nothing special. Just…a picture of some half wrapped giant cookies.

And after a look at the ingredients, I knew they would be mine. All mine.

I had everything on hand. Everything. Even the dried cherries, thanks to a lovely care package from my blogging friend Lisa, of Jersey Girl Cooks. Lucky, lucky me.

So two dozen cookies. Two dozen cookies, and 3 CUPS of chocolate chips.

Did I read that right? Three cups? For those of you curious, that’s over one pound of chocolate.

Yum.

Now, these cookies are a breeze to put together. Huge, too. Two dozen cookies the size of small pancakes… 4-5 inches in diameter. If you were so minded, you COULD eliminate the cherries. However, they offer a nice chewiness that I really like, and the additional flavor is welcome as well. They are a bit on the cakey side, not gooey, despite all that chocolate. And, if you can believe it, they are even better the day after making them.

I know, I know. I’m shocked. Cookies lasted more than a day here at my house. The horror.

Gosh, though…it was worth it just to taste them today. Hang on to yours an extra day if you can.

You’ll thank me for it.

Chocolate Cherry Chunk Cookies

adapted from the Culinary Institute of America

makes 24 large cookies

• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups All Purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips (I used Scharffenberger)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks (I used Scharffenberger)
• 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks (I used Scharffenberger)

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with a SilPat or parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter with the sugars, salt, and vanilla, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and baking soda. Add to the other ingredients on low speed, until just combined. Stir in the cherries and chocolate by hand.

Portion out the cookies onto the baking sheets, roughly 6 cookies per sheet (about 1/4 cup). Cookies will spread a bit, but not much. Allow 1-2 inches between cookies.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from oven and cool for 2-3 minutes on the pan, then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Serve and enjoy!