DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHERRY WINE COOKIES

Today is National Wine Day and tomorrow is National Cherry Dessert Day. Celebrate both holidays by making these easy Double Chocolate Wine Cherry Cookies! I always have dried cherries on hand (they keep well in the refrigerator). What could be better than chocolate, cherries, and wine! This recipe is adapted from Foodnetwork.com.  These cookies will also be a big hit at your Memorial Day BBQ. As always, use the very best chocolate!

Double Chocolate Cherry Wine Cookies
 
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good quality dark cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup dry red wine, Zinfandel (I've used both Pinot and Merlot)
10 ounces dark chocolate (65-70% cacao--the best you can find), chopped in small chunks or dark chocolate chips (I use Guittard)
1 - 1/4 cup dried tart cherries (unsweetened are more tart but use what you have)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda in bowl.
In bowl of electric mixer, or with a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars until fluffy.
Add egg, vanilla, and wine, and combine.
Slowly in batches, add flour mixture until just combined.
Fold in chocolate and cherries.
On nonstick cookie sheet, place heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie about 2 inches apart.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops are still soft looking but edges look firm.
Cool on sheet for 5-8 minutes.

Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies

So last weekend I bought lots cherries at a farmstand in Sonoma County. I wasn't sure what I would do with them, but I didn't have to think very long since they disappeared quickly. I intend to get more at the Farmer's Market this week, but in the meantime I'm planning on making these Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies. I always have dried cherries on hand (they keep very well in the refrigerator), and the following recipe is fabulous. What could be better than chocolate, cherries and wine! This is a recipe adapted from one I found on the Foodnetwork.com. It will be a huge hit at your Memorial Day BBQ or any time. As always, use the very best chocolate!

Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
 
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good quality dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick sweet butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
1/2 cup dry red wine, Zinfandel (I've used Cabernet and Merlot)
10 ounces dark chocolate (85% cacao--the best you can find), broken into chunks
1- 1/4 cup dried tart cherries (unsweetened are more tart but use what you have)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

1. Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a bowl.
2. In a bowl of an electric mixer, or with a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars until fluffy.
3. Add egg, vanilla, and wine and combine.
4. Slowly in batches add the flour mixture until just combined.
5. Fold in the chocolate and cherries.
6. On a nonstick cookie sheet, place a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie about 2 inches apart from each other.
7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until tops are still soft looking but edges look firm.
8. Let cool on sheet for 5-8 minutes.