Sweet Cherries with White Chocolate Cookies-Revised

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese 
• Butter unsalted
• Light brown sugar
• Sugar white
• Vanilla Extract
• Kosher Salt
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• White chocolate chips
• Dried sweet cherries

Making Cherries with White Chocolate Cookies

Prepping the Dried Cherries

The store where I purchase my bulk dried cherries used to carry sweet, regular, and tart varieties of cherries. But, now they have changed their packaging to just regular and tart. So, after tasting the regular dried cherries, they are just as good as the dried sweet variety.

I am unsure what the coating is on the cherries, but I add the cherries to a bowl of cold water and break up any clumps of cherries. Don't let them soak. Instead, quickly move them to a colander to drain.

After they drain, I lay the cherries out on paper towels to dry. Just check and ensure they have separated, so they will spread throughout the cookie dough when added.

Mixing the Cookie Dough

Preparing all the ingredients before making the cookies is my way of ensuring I don't miss an ingredient.

Weigh or measure the white and light brown sugars into a bowl and set it aside. In another bowl, weigh or measure the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. I am running a whisk through to blend.

In a stand or hand mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese. Now, scrape down the sides and add the sugars. Turn the mixer on to medium speed and mix for 2 to 3 minutes. You want a whipped and light-colored looking mixture.

Next, add the vanilla extract, (for more flavor add almond extract also) turn the mixer to a low speed, and gradually add the flour mixture. If needed, stop and scrape down the sides and turn the mixer back on for 15 seconds. Finally, add the cherries and the white chocolate chips.

Don't mix too long, or you will break up the cherries. Instead, I use a spatula to distribute the cherries and chips more evenly if needed. You can also make sure that all the flour has been incorporated.

Loosely cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for thirty minutes.

Scooping and Baking

I am using a medium cookie scooper to add 12 cookie mounds to a parchment-covered sheet pan. I try to make sure there are cherries in every scoop.

To make it easier to flatten the mounds of cookie dough, I place a piece of parchment paper between the bottom of a water glass and the cookie mound.

The flat bottom of the water glass gives you an even amount of pressure to flatten the mounds to about ½" thick. They should look like round disks.

Set your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and bake for 11-13 minutes. After you take the pan from the oven, move the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Alternative Sweeter Version

Here is the adjusted version if you want a bolder flavor and more sweetness. Please follow the instructions for making the cookies except for adding almond extract when the vanilla extract is added.

After the cookie dough has chilled, set up your workstation with a plate of super-fine sugar.

Take a medium cookie scooper and scoop a ball of cookie dough. You want to roll between your hands to form a tight ball. Add the cookie dough ball to the plate of sugar and coat it the whole way around. Add twelve sugar-coated balls to a parchment-lined cookie sheet pan.

Take a square piece of parchment paper, place it on top of the ball, and press down about halfway with a flat bottom glass.

Set your oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C) and bake for 11-13 minutes. After you take the pan from the oven, move the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

So, you now have a choice. I like the buttery tangy cookie with my cherries. It may be a bit too tart for some people, so this way you have an alternative. Enjoy either way.

Storage

I store these in a container with a lid that seals. The cookies will last at least a week. But, if they start to dry out, you can stick a piece of bread in the container with the cookies. Don't let it touch the cookies, or that cookie will be really soft.