Almost Cherry Garcia Cookies

Total Time: 29 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 14 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried sour cherries
• 1/3 cup cherry brandy
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped chocolate
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 3 plump the dried cherries by soaking them in boiling water to cover for a couple of minutes.
• 4 drain well and toss with cherry brandy.
• 5 let the cherries sit in the brandy for a couple of hours, or even overnight for the best flavor, then drain before using.
• 6 cream the butter with both sugars.
• 7 blend in the egg, vanilla and almond extracts.
• 8 fold in the salt, baking soda and flour.
• 9 fold in the cherries, and dark chocolate and, if using, the macadamia nuts.
• 10 batter should be soft.
• 11 drop in generous tablespoons onto the baking sheets, leaving space between dollops of batter.
• 12 bake until lightly browned around the edges, 12-14 minutes.
• 13 cool on racks.