Chocolate Fudge Cookies with Toffee and Dried Cherries

Kate from The Clean Plate Club runs a monthly Cookie Carnival. It's fun - cookies are quick to make and fun to eat.
This month's cookie is the CHOCOLATE FUDGE COOKIES with TOFFEE and DRIED CHERRIES from the awesome Regan Daley. The toffee part sold me right away. Do these not look totally outrageous (in a completely good way). They are really quite something - absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup plump, moist, dried sour cherries
8 oz. bitter or semisweet chocolate chopped into chunks about the size of the cherries (I used bittersweet chocolate chips)
1 cup English toffee pieces for baking such as Skor Bits

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two heavy baking sheets, not non-stick with parchment paper and set aside. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and set aside. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until light in colour and fluffy - about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla. Stir in the flour-mixture in 3 additions, blending just until the dry ingredients are moistened. This part is really easier with a wooden spoon since the batter is quite dense. The dough may be frozen at this point for up to 4 months; wrap securely in plastic wrap, then in a plastic freezer bag; thaw in the refrigerator without removing its wrapping before portioning the cookies and baking.

2. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets and place them in the centre of the oven, turning half way through baking.

3. Bake the cookies for 15-18 minutes (mine were done in 18 minutes) or until barely set in the centre and just firm around the edges. Cool cookies on tray for 3-5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before storing. Store in air tight containers, layered between sheets of parchment or waxed paper for up to 5 days.



Verdict: Fantastic cookies. I love the 3rd part about storing - you won't need to worry about storing anything - they'll be gone before the day is out. My neighbours could smell them down the hall and came over to see what was in the oven and how soon they could have some.