Description
These Chocolate Cherry Cookies combine rich, fudgy chocolate dough with a luscious homemade cherry filling for a delightful treat perfect for any occasion. The cookie dough is rolled in sugar for a sweet crunch before baking, and each cookie is filled with a tart cherry compote that balances the deep chocolate flavor beautifully.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cookies:
- 2 2/3 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup Brown sugar, packed light or dark
- 1/2 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 2 Large eggs, room temperature
- Cane sugar or regular white granulated sugar for rolling the cookies
Cherry Pie Filling:
- 1 lb Cherries, fresh or frozen, pitted
- 1/2 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Water
Instructions
- Prepare the Cherry Filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Stir continuously as the cherries soften and the sauce thickens, mashing some cherries gently with a wooden spoon. This process takes longer if cherries are frozen. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, white granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs until smooth and combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a rubber spatula until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Let the cookie dough rest while the oven preheats.
- Scoop and Roll Dough: Using a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls. Roll each ball generously in cane sugar or white granulated sugar for a crunchy exterior.
- Shape Cookies: Place six cookie dough balls per prepared cookie sheet, spacing them evenly. Using a 1/8 cup measuring cup or the back of a spice jar, press a shallow well into the center of each dough ball.
- Bake: Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
- Set and Cool: Immediately after baking, press the 1/8 cup again into each cookie to maintain the well shape. Let cookies cool on the hot pans for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Add Cherry Filling: Once cooled, spoon roughly 1/8 cup of the prepared cherry filling into the well of each cookie. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Flour Measurement: For best results, spoon and level the flour or weigh it to avoid compacting, which can dry out the cookies and affect spreading.
- High Altitude Baking: Add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour when baking at high altitudes to improve texture.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Take dairy ingredients out 2 hours before baking to ensure proper mixing and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 170mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
