Chocolate Cherry Cookies

I love reading light cookie recipes, trying to figure out how they make them light. Usually it means that the serving size is half of what a normal person eats, or that something not so good for you (like oil) is swapped out for something more virtuous (like applesauce). Not that there's anything wrong with this, of course. But I don't make cookies to be healthy. Have you met my husband? I need to try my hardest to fatten him up! :)

So this recipe for Chocolate Cherry Cookies from Cooking Light definitely needed some tweaking. First off, the recipe says it makes 60 cookies. I have a feeling those cookies would be fairly small so I just scooped them out using my normal cookie scooper. Also, it called for 6 tablespoons of chocolate chips. That amount just sounds so...sad. So I upped that significantly. I'm not sure exactly how much I used - probably closer to 1/3 a bag.

These cookies give you a nice contrast between tart and sweet, though Dennis said he'd like even more chocolate chips next time to offset the cherries. So next time I'll up to 1/2 a bag, at least. You can never have too many chocolate chips.

Chewy Chocolate-Cherry Cookies (from Cooking Light)

Yield: 60 cookies if you're going for light, otherwise closer to 40

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cup dried tart cherries
6 tablespoons semisweet chocolate for light cookies, otherwise put in as many chocolate chips as your heart desires
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture. Beat just until combined. Fold in cherries and chocolate chips.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 9-12 minutes or just until set. Remove from oven; cool on pans 5 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.