Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal Cookies With Pecans and Dried Cherries

Submitted by happynana

"I received this an email from ATK. I substituted dried cranraisins for the dried cherries, semi-sweet chocolate chips for bittersweet chocolate and used my hand mixer. Dried cranberries may also be used instead of the cherries. Quick oats may be used instead but will yield a cookie with slightly less chewiness. These cookies will keep for 4 to 5 days stored in airtight container or zipper-lock bag, but they will lose their crisp exterior and become uniformly chewy after a day or so. I only baked one cookie tray at a time. These were very good. I froze them in individual bags for a sweet treat."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 16 cookies

ingredients

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 1⁄4 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 cup dried tart cherry, chopped coarse (I used cranraisins)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into the size of chocolate chips (I used semi sweet chocolate chips)
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, but still cool
• 1 1⁄2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

directions

1. I baked the cookies only one tray at a time so I cannot vouch for the method of baking two at a time. But if you would like to bake two trays at a time adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Line 2 large (18 x 12) baking sheets with parchment paper. If you do not have this size, you will need to use 3.
4. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
5. In second medium bowl, stir together, oats, pecans, cherries and chocolate.
6. In a standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute.
7. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.
8. Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
9. With mixer still running on low, gradually add oat/nut mixture; mix until just incorporated.
10. Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.
11. Divide dough evenly into 16 portions; about 1/4 cup each.
12. Roll between palms into balls about 2 inches in diameter; stagger 8 balls on each baking sheet, spacing about 2 1/2 inches apart.
13. Using hands, gently press each dough ball into 1 inch thickness. Bake both sheets 12 minutes, rotate them front to back and top to bottom, then continue to bake until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone and will appear raw, wet and shiny in cracks), 8 to 10 minutes longer. (I baked each cookie tray individually for 18 minutes). Do Not Over Bake.
14. Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire rack 5 minutes; using wide metal spatual, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room tempature.

Reviews

[Susiecat too]

Very yummy cookies! I used about a half-cup of dried cherries, and half cup of dried cranberries, only because I ran out of the cherries. This is a fabulous cookie, lots of flavor and texture in every bite. I would say that the 20 minute total baking time is too much, though. I used the 2-tray method, and when I shortened the total baking time to 16 minutes it was just perfect. Perhaps that was just my oven, though. Try your first batch with the shorter time first -- you can always bake longer, but once they're burnt, well..... Thanks for the tasty treat, happynana!

 

[Bluemonkey]

Fabulous cookie! I've been making it for a couple of years. Today I subbed half the cherries for coconut and replaced the chocolate with lemon baking chips. The lemon chips taste like lemon meringue pie! You can get the lemon chips at Bulk Barn if you live in Canada. that is the only place I've ever seen them.

 

[UrbanYogaMommy]

I received this recipe from a friend and they were really tasty. I made my cookies a little smaller and baked them for 8 to 10 minutes. Taking them out while they still look a little wet is key to retaining a crispy and chewy texture. It is easy to overbake these. My family likes fresh baked cookies, so with many recipes, I make extra and keep ready to bake dough in the refrigerator so they can bake a few at a time in the toaster oven for a fresh baked treat any time. I did the same with this recipe and they turned out wonderfully. I baked half of the batch immediately and rolled the remainder into 1-inch balls and put them in the refrigerator in a reclosable bag. A few days later when I had time, I baked them the same way, 8 to 10 minutes, and they were perfect. This recipe is defintely a keeper.

 

[blucoat]

If you want a nut-free version, substitute an extra cup of oats for the pecans.

 

[quirkycook]

This is a great tasting cookie recipe, but I did have a problem with my cookies spreading when baking. My mother in law made them with better luck, so I'll have to give them another try!