Recipe: Rye, Chocolate & Cherry Cookies

HED: Recipe: Rye, Chocolate & Cherry Cookies

Yield: About 36 cookies Prep Time: 45 minutes  Cook Time: 10 minutes

Think of this cookie as the big sibling to a chocolate chip cookie: a little  more complex and nuanced but just as charming. If you choose not to imbibe, this recipe is equally delicious when you replace the bourbon with either coffee or cherry juice. Take note that this recipe is best started a day before you plan on baking cookies.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups dried tart cherries
• ½ cup bourbon (your choice)
• ¾ cup unsalted butter,  at room temperature
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1½ cups + 1¾ cups dark chocolate, coarsely chopped, divided
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg white,  at room temperature
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups dark rye flour
• 1 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1½ tsp fine sea salt
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ cup cocoa nibs
• Smoked flaky sea salt,  for garnish (optional)

Method:

1. The night before you plan on baking cookies, in a medium airtight container with a lid, stir together cherries and bourbon. Cover and refrigerate overnight, stirring periodically.

2. The next day, in a medium heat-safe bowl, add butter, granulated sugar and 1½ cups chopped chocolate. Place over a medium saucepan filled with 1 inch of simmering water. (Take care not to let bowl touch water.) Stir mixture frequently with a wooden spatula until melted and almost smooth. Place a kitchen towel on work surface, remove bowl from saucepan and set on top of towel. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated before adding the next. Whisk in egg white and vanilla until combined. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together rye flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa nibs. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients and pour in butter mixture. Using a wooden spoon, stir together until just combined. Drain cherries, reserving any remaining liquid for another use (such as a cocktail), and add to dough along with remaining 1¾ cups chopped chocolate. Fold into dough until just incorporated, taking care not to overmix. Transfer dough to refrigerator for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two or three baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.

5. Using 2 tbsp of dough for each cookie, roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking trays. Gently press down on each ball with the palm of your hand to create a disk half as thick as the original balls were. Sprinkle each cookie with some smoked sea salt, if using. Bake cookies, one tray at a time, until set around the edges (about 10 minutes). Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on baking tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature. Cookies will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.