Daughter Beth made these cookies while we were in Michigan last June, 2013. I baked them this past Christmas not only because the were delicious–but I also had an abundance of Michigan cherries–dried.  Beth and Paul brought the cherries to Maui when they visited us over Thanksgiving.

• 1 & 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 & 1/2 cups semi- sweet chocolate chunks
• 1 & 1/2 cups dried cherries
• additional granulated sugar

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; set aside.  Beat butter, 1 c. granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy–about 2 min.  Beat in egg and vanilla until well blended.  On low speed of mixer, gradually beat in 1/3 of flour mixture at a time, until all is used.  Scrape sides of bowl down between additions of flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chunks and cherries.  REFRIGERATE COVERED DOUGH FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR.

3.  Roll chilled dough into golf ball sized balls.  Roll the balls in the additional granulated sugar. Space balls three inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Gently press each ball with bottom of glass—you can dampen a hankie to stretch over the bottom of the glass.

4.  Bake 13-15 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks.  Cool completely.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 CUP                          sugar
• + 4  1/2 tablespoons      sugar
• 1/2 TSP                           table salt
• 3/4 CUP                          whole almonds
• 4 TSP                               pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 TSP                           pure almond extract
• 3 CUPS                            bleached all-purpose flour
• 1  1/2 CUPS                    butter, unsalted (3 sticks), cut in chunks and softened
• 1/4 CUP (or more)        turbinado (or granulated or raw) sugar

Process the sugar and the salt in a food processor until it looks powdery and a little finer, 40-60 seconds. Add the almonds and process until they’re finely chopped, about 20 seconds.  Add the butter, vanilla and almond extracts. Pulse until the butter is smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add the flour and pulse until a soft ball forms around the blade.  Transfer the dough to a large bowl and stir briefly with a rubber spatula to be sure it’s evenly mixed.  Portion the dough into equal thirds. If you have a scale, weigh each third; each should weigh 10-1/2 to 11 ounces.  On a lightly floured surface, shape the dough into a log about 6 inches long and 1-3/4 inches in diameter.  Wrap the log in waxed paper or foil or plastic wrap.  Chill the dough at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.

Put the 1/4 cup sugar on a flat surface such as a tray or clean counter top.  Roll the log of dough in the sugar, pressing so the sugar adheres.  Cut the log int 1/4- inch slices and arrange them at least 1 inch apart on an ungreased or foil lined cookie sheet.  Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350 degrees.  Let the cookies sit at room temp. while oven heats.  Bake until the edges are golden brown, 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back about halfway through the baking.  Let the cookies sit on the sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a rack with a metal spatula…Let cool completely before storing airtight.

NOTES : I use raw sugar

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Serving Size : 4-5 dozen                                        Preparation Time :  20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 12 oz package       Semi-sweet Chocolate chips
• 1/2 lb                        unsalted butter,  softened
• 3/4 cup dark            brown sugar
• 3/4 cup                     sugar
• 2                                eggs
• 1 teaspoon                vanilla-(generous teaspoon)
• 2 1/4 cups                 flour, make the 1/4 cup heaping
• 1 teaspoon                baking soda
• 1 cup                          pecans, chopped
• 1 teaspoon                salt

USING A WOODEN SPOON blend the sugars and butter. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour, salt and baking soda. Gently stirring until just blended. Stir in the nuts and then the chips.

Drop onto a cookie sheet in tablespoon size, leaving lots of room–2″–between cookies. Bake between 12 and 14 min. in a 350 degree oven. When the cookies start to get brown around the edge, that’s when they should be taken out of the oven. If you like a crisper cookie bake an additional minute. Remove from the sheets to cool on racks or parchment paper.

NOTES : I’ve been baking this recipe for over 46 years!! That fact is pretty scary. The recipe is almost exactly the same as the Toll House Cookies except for the heaping 1/4 cup flour and pecans. I think the original Toll House calls for walnuts. Also, I set the oven just UNDER 350 degrees.

The secret to these cookies is the technique. Use a wooden spoon, and don’t over beat.

Recipe By : Linda

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