da bomb dark chocolate + tart cherry cookie { no really, this is it }
Iβve talked about OCD before. A lot. Maybe too much? Iβll have to analyze that more later. There are all different types of OCD. There is the meticulous OCD person that canβt leave an empty cup on the coffee table or a dust bunny in the corner. There is the OCD person that checks to make sure the door is locked 23 times before going to bed. And then thereβs me. I will futz and re-futz with a sweet treat until it hits the sweet spot. Such as with these cookies. The first time I made them I wrote in the margins of the cookbook βAWFUL.β Somehow in editing, the authors must have messed up on the amounts because it was all off. Yet, I could tell that lingering in there was a very good cookie indeed. It was hiding. It just needed to be coaxed out. And so I futzed and futzed and futzed with the recipe. For months. I included a photo of the futzed recipe in this post so you could see. Iβm not going to name the cookbook because that wouldnβt be niceβ¦and we all make mistakes. Iβm also not going to name the cookbook because as you can see from my notes, mine doesnβt even remotely resemble the original. Say βremotely resembleβ 20 times. You canβt, can you?
I make these cookies often and as I said, I am constantly changing amounts because the cookie was almost there. It just needed a little more work, a little somethingβ¦and then, it happened. Last weekend I had a bake-off with my daughter and I nailed it. Itβs perfection. No more tweaking. I stuck the landing.
I was intrigued with Alton Brownβs use of bread flour in his chocolate chip cookie recipe. Then I saw that the Milk Bar people use bread flour for most of their baked goodsβ¦unless theyβre using cake flour (another favorite flour of mineβ¦say that one 20 times too). So I decided to throw some in. I also, surprisingly, like white whole-wheat flour in my waffles and pancakes. It gives it this extra oomph of flavor and texture. I wanted that as well, so I threw in some whole wheat flour. Cherries and chocolate? Duh. Such a darling couple. Oatmeal? Keeps everyone legit. Soft, chewy…hitting all the right notes.
Iβd like to invite you over for some of these cookies. Weβd talk. Drink some wine. No, I think this calls for a martini of sorts. Weβd laugh a lotβ¦sit in the Adirondack chairs in the back and look at nature. Youβd have to sign a non-judgment waiver because Iβm not the OCD-no-crumbs-on-the-floor kinda girl. Youβre good with that, right? Letβs have another cookie and cocktail and talk about it, shall we?
{ da bomb dark chocolate + tart cherry cookie }
Makes About 36 Cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 2 sticks of unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup bread flour
- 1 cup white whole-wheat flour (itβs crucial that it is the white whole-wheatβ¦the cookie will be denser if you use regular whole wheat)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 1/2 cups oatmeal (I use Quaker Old Fashion)
- 1 cup chopped dried tart cherries
- 1 cup chopped dark chocolate (you can also use semi-sweet or whatever floats your boat)
- Coarse salt for sprinkling
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- In an electric stand fitted with the paddle attachment (or use your arms and a fork), mix the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and eggs, making sure to scrape down the sides and that everything is nice and blended.
- In another bowl, whisk together (or sift) the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix, by hand, until just incorporated.
- Add the oatmeal, dried cherries and chocolate and blend until just mixed. You donβt want to over-mix when youβre working with flour.
- If you have the time, chill your dough for 30-60 minutesβ¦it will make it easier to work with.
- Line a baking sheet with either a silpat or parchment paper.
- Gently mold the cookie dough into little ballsβ¦about 1 Β½ to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie. You can put 12 balls per sheetβ¦they donβt spread too much. Donβt overwork you dough hereβ¦weβre just gently shaping into balls.
- Bake for 11 minutes. They will look a little underdone. Thatβs good. Just lightly bronzed around the edges.
- Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, or until you can easily lift them off with a spatula. Let finish cooling on a cooling rack.
- Mix up a martini and dinner is served. What on earth are the kids going to eat?
{ on my mind }
- Iβm obsessed with the Β Momofuku Milk Bar
Β cookbook. Specifically, the concept of crumbs. Since they named their crumbs βcrumbsβ, Iβm going to call mine βcrackβ. Iβm working on graham cracker crack. For some sβmore cupcakes. Yes, Iβm back on those again. Iβm also not totally wild about sprinkles. Just not my thing. BUT, I love the funfetti cake ideaβ¦so Iβm going to use Fruity Pebbles in place of sprinkles. Iβm making these for my friendβs birthday this weekend. Wish me luckβ¦I hope they all turn out. If you donβt have the Milk Bar cookbook and you love to bake, get it. Itβs like a really fun baking class.
- I love Led Zeppelin. Sometimes I think I was born at the wrong time. I would have loveddd to have seen them in concert. Somehow the Song Remains the Same just isnβt the same. Listen to them if you havenβt recently. Dust them off. Give them a spin. Itβs still some good shit Maynard. My dad would call it, βmusic to smoke dope to.β Where is the crying-laughing emoji when I need it?
- I get to call these cookies Da Bomb because Iβm from Long Beach, CA. Otherwise known as The LBC and the home of NWA. Iβve earned it, right? I’m pretty gangster.
- I recently came across this photo on Instagram. Holy Mother. Is that the most AMAZING thing youβve ever seen? Iβm making this. Soon. Iβm loving her Instagram account. Instamazing. Letβs create new words today. Post some of yours.
- Spring Forwardβ¦I donβt like getting up in the dark. Not one bit. People have more heart attacks after the time change. Did you know this? Itβs too much. Thoughts? Agree? Disagree? Discuss.
- Superrrr excited to overeat and drink beer on St. Patrickβs Day. I debuted my corned beef + hash earlier this month. I was a little excited. A premature post, if you will. Hereβs your slow cooker guide to a filling day.
- Itβs the last 24 hours of the Saveur Food Blog nominations. Would be mighty grateful if you like all thisΒ to nominate DisplacedHousewife. If DH makes it to the final list, Iβll create a kick-ass cocktail. If itΒ doesn’tβ¦Iβll still createΒ a cocktail. But with more booze.
- Have a stupendousΒ weekend!! I hope you make these cookies. xx
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These look incredible! I love your perseverance – I would’ve totally given up but I’m so glad you didn’t because now I can reap the rewards and make these!
I’m totally cool with perseverance when it comes to cookies…and pretty much anything else that has to do with sugar + butter!! These are so good. You must try. Must… xx
Alright, if you post these things then it’s not our fault if we fall into temptation! ;)
Hi Elizabeth! My kids were just talking about that. I just got the Blackbird cookbook…I’m so making a pie. Thanks for the suggestion. And thanks for the kind words!! xx
Thought you might like to know that Saturday is Pi Day.
Pi is 3.141592653
3/14/15@9:26:53 Won’t come around for another 100 years or more. Make a pie and celebrate. Love your blog. Thanks!
Well it looks like you nailed it this time. Cherry. Chocolate. Oatmeal. And a healthy dose of sea salt to crown it all off. What’s not to love? BTW. . .I’ve been eyeing up the Milk Bar cookbook for a little funsies in the kitchen. You’ve convinced me to get it STAT.
Lynn, you must! Without haste. It’s made me think about ingredients more creatively. I also like the voice. Let me know what you think. If my graham cracker crack turns out I’ll post it!! xx