C is Cherry Chocolate Cookies

Last week it rained. One evening of rain and it was all I needed to dig out my boots and cashmere sweaters from the darkest corner of my closet. Also, it got me thinking about my favorite cookie, a cookie that always reminds me of the Fall with it’s dried fruit, rich dark chocolate, and crunch! But you see, I live in Santa Cruz and the “best” weather here is really in the Spring and Fall for it is then that it is often the most warm. And every year, the first rain brings a certain amount of excitement – mushroom foraging, pumpkin patches, my birthday (ok, not so exciting, sigh), Thanksgiving, the opening of mussel season, falling leaves, and it is when I begin to shop for a signature boot to mark the year. This chunky chewy Fall cookie was made several times last week and with it came the anticipation for crisp mornings and breezy days. And as a prelude of good things to come, I put on my favorite boots, packed  a thermos of tea for myself, a smaller one of “apple tea” for my daughter, and headed to my favorite meadow. A meadow on high on a hill, with the redwoods behind us and a specatular view of the ocean, a perfect place to witness the changing season and enjoy our afternoon tea and cookies.

Cherry Chocolate Cookies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup turbinado sugar
• 3/4 sliced almonds, toasted
• 3/4 cup dried cherries
• 3/4 cup your favorite chocolate chip, I like to chop up a dark chocolate bar.

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter with the egg and vanilla
3. Add the sugar, mix well
4. Add the flour and baking soda, mix well
5. Add the almonds, mix. Add the cherries, mix. Add the chocolate chips, mix.
6. I use a standard size ice-cream scoop and this recipe will yield 18 cookies.
7. Bake for 16 minutes, less if you make a smaller cookie!

This makes a very chewy cookie. Enjoy!

U2, Get On Your Boots