Some days, you just want more than a chocolate chip cookie. You want something decadent and delicious. But if you are anything like me, you don’t always have time to make the gourmet goodies. Undeterred, I did an inventory check of my kitchen and decided I had what it would take to amp up my cookies to fit my craving.
Ingredients:
1c sugar
1c firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2c butter (softened)
1tsp vanilla (2tsp if you left out the almond extract)
1/2tsp almond extract (optional)
2 eggs
3c flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp baking soda
1/4tsp salt
6oz white chocolate chips
6oz milk chocolate chips
1/2c dried cherries
1/4c rum (optional)
Directions:
I don’t have softened butter sitting around, and sometimes the cravings just hit. If you microwave or heat your butter to soften it, that is okay. You can probably use margarine, too; I just don’t.
Heat oven to 375F, and grab a large bowl and a small measuring cup for the cherries. If you are using rum, add it to the cherries while you prep your other ingredients. Naturally, if you want to skip the rum, you are welcome to leave it out entirely.
Cream your butter and sugars together. Add eggs, vanilla, almond extracts, and a small amount of the rum your cherries are soaking in; blend together thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well with a spoon. I love my mixer but found it useless at this point…you just need a good ole spoon. Stir in chips, then spoon in cherries and stir in.
Drop by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. These cookies will spread a bit, so two inches apart is a good space. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges start to brown; remove from oven while the center still looks underdone. Leave them on the pan for a minute or so to finish setting. Once cooled slightly, move to wire rack.
