My Madison Bistro

After Christmas, I swore I wouldn’t eat a cookie again for…well, a very long time. I don’t believe I actually quantified this timeline, but frankly, I was cookied out.

I guess I’m healed. I should have known I wouldn’t even be able to last two months before feeling the need to make another batch of cookies. There’s just something about the the chewy texture, the crumble, the chocolate, the…booze?

Yes, I decided to incorporate liquor into my cookies. Well, into the dried cherries, actually. Too often when I baked with dried fruit, the fruit would become a little crunchy from its time in the oven. I thought about plumping up the cherries a bit with some boiling liquid, but water simply wasn’t enough. Kirsch (cherry brandy), on the other hand, now that would give my cookies a little kick.

Drunken Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients
12 T unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c granulated sugar
1 1/4 c brown sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 large egg
1 T vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
1 c dried cherries (no sugar added)
1/3 c Kirsch or rum

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 F and line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. Place cherries and Kirsch in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Using a sieve or colander, drain the cherries and set aside.

3. Combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until blended. Add egg yolk, egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Stir until combined.

4. Sift dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Slowly stir until almost mixed. Add chocolate chunks and cherries, stir to combine.

5. Drop in very large spoonfuls onto the cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes and allow to sit on cookie sheet an additional 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Tags: chocolate, cookies

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