Flat-and-Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Dried Dark Cherries)

No matter the stresses that come our way, Eric and I try our best to find little things each night to end on a bright note. We’ve become avid viewers of Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, two shows that always remain light and invite us to interact with one another while also decompressing. While we watch, we’ll often scream out whatever we think the answer is. Sometimes we’re correct and we’ll congratulate one another. When we’re not, we laugh at our silly guesses. It’s a little bit of joy to end our day.

Most weeknights, after a glass of wine with dinner and before a nightcap of whiskey, Eric and I will pour mugs of tea and cozy up on the couch together. I bring out something sweet to nibble on, typically cookies or cake or one of the many other treats tucked in our freezer.

Now, I know everyone has strong feelings about chocolate chip cookies and, for me, I’m looking for a few things. One, they need to have a decent amount of salt. Salt and chocolate are meant to go together and if my cookies don’t have a pronounced saltiness, then they really won’t do much for me. Next, I’m looking for crunch and chew. Crispy outside, chewy inside. When I stumbled across this recipe from Amanda Hesser, I knew I had to give it a try. And oh have they delivered. I’ve made these a few times over the last couple of months and they truly hit the spot.

While I don’t mind nuts in my baked goods, there are people out there (I won’t name names) who are not fans and when you’re under quarantine with such an individual, sometimes you have to concede. The first time I made the recipe as is, with toasted walnuts, and I got a few comments (that person, however, continued to eat them for many weeks, so I guess they could get over it). For the next batch, I decided to use up some dried tart cherries we had tucked in our cabinet and I really feel like it brought these cookies to a whole new place. Just like salt, a little sourness pairs magically with chocolate. Anyway, I think it’s the perfect balance. Of course, you do you… add other things or leave them out. No matter what, these cookies won’t disappoint.

Amanda Hesser's Flat and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Dried Cherries)

Source:
Slightly modified from Amanda Hesser’s recipe in The New York Times

Yield:
30-35 cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon kosher salt
8 ounces butter, softened
1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups chopped bittersweet chocolate (chunks and shavings) (Or, if all you have are chocolate chips, those work just fine)
3/4 cup dried dark sour cherries (unsweetened)

Directions:

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or, alternatively, this can be done using a hand mixer), blend together the butter and both sugars until fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs in one at a time, mixing until thoroughly incorporated, followed by the vanilla extract.

Carefully pour in the flour mixture and mix until a dough has formed. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, spoon in the chocolate and dried cherries. Transfer the dough to the refrigerator and let chill for 1 hour.

Set racks to the top 1/3 and bottom 1/3 of the oven. Preheat to 325 degrees.

Roll 2 1/2 tablespoons of the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the dough into 1/2 inch thick disks and make sure they’re 2 inches apart. Bake in the oven for 14-16 minutes, swapping racks halfway through bake time.

Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring to baking racks.

White Chocolate, Cranberry, and Macadamia Nut Oatmeal Cookies

I spent most of last week stuck inside.  Temperatures were in the single digits (with windchills below zero) and a snowstorm struck us on Thursday, which meant my time outside was limited to short walks around the block with Maki. I used the opportunity to get lots of cooking done, and I did something I do maybe a couple of times a year: I baked cookies. I've meant to share a recipe for oatmeal cookies for a while now, but I kept putting it aside. These are perfectly crisp on the outside, with nice chew on the inside (the key is not over-baking them). Of course, once you bake cookies, you have to find something to do with them. They couldn't all stay in the house. The great thing about living in the 'burbs is having neighbors to distribute treats to. So, that's where the majority of them went, and Eric and I enjoyed the rest with our nightly carafe of tea. 

White Chocolate, Cranberry and Macadamia Nut Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: Approx. 24 cookies
Special Tools:  Stand mixer (or hand mixer), cookie sheet

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 heaping cups rolled oats
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks butter (room temperature)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and beat until smooth. With the mixer on its lowest setting, slowly add dry ingredients to the bowl. Mixture should be crumbly but start to come together. Beat in eggs and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated. Stir in white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and macadamia nuts. 

Transfer the dough to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Drop the dough onto baking sheets in 1.5 to 2 tablespoon scoops, leaving 2 inches of room between them.   Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the cookies have set. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the sheets for another 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.  

White Peach and Candied Ginger Muffins

Not long ago, I was invited on a tour of America's Test Kitchen and they gave everyone a recipe card for some truly scrumptious fig and chocolate chip muffins. The batter is thick; borderline scone dough. Once baked, they have a crusty exterior, but remain light, almost cake-like, on the inside. So, I was prepared to share a rhubarb variation everyone today. Alas, when I went to the store to purchase more rhubarb, they were out. Looking around frantically, my eyes locked on a tower of white peaches. Now, if I'm craving stone fruit, I'm going for cherries or apricots. Point being, it's not often that I see peaches and say "Yes! I must cook with those!" But something came over me and I realized that what I really needed in my muffins were peaches. And candied ginger. And almonds. Ok, there were a lot of things. But, hey, sometimes you know when these things will work. And, if I may say, they do. They really do.

WHITE PEACH AND CANDIED GINGER MUFFINS

NOTES
A few things: 1. I suggest using firmer peaches, as they're easier to chop, plus it prevents the mixture from getting too mushy when you cook them. 2. If you're like me and didn't look to see if you had unsalted butter before you started cooking, you can use salted butter and just omit the salt from the recipe. I did this and they came out tasting great.

SOURCE
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

SERVINGS
Makes 12 muffins

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups chopped white peaches (use firmer peaches)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup chopped candied ginger

DIRECTIONS
1. In a pot, toss peaches with 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peach starts to break down and juices are released, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. 

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Flour and grease a 12 cup muffin tin. 

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. 

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, butter, and eggs. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and whisk until combined. 

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and, using a wooden spoon, mix until just combined. Do not over mix. Stir in sliced almonds and candied ginger. 

6. Spoon half of the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tin and then spoon 1 teaspoon of the cooked peaches into the center of each. Top with remaining batter. 

7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container for 2 days.