Double Chocolate Chunk, Cherry & Pecan Cookies
These Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies with dried cherries and toasted pecans are one of my all-time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes. If you're curious, these are my other favorites. But I turn to today's cookie when I'm craving rich chocolate along with some chew and crunch. My go-to portable snack is a homemade trail mix of toasted nuts, dried fruit and dark chocolate. A crave-worthy combo, if you ask me. And adding this combo to a chocolate cookie base makes it that much more exciting.
Besides the double chocolate and creamy, crunchy, chewy textures, what makes these cookies special is the combination of butter and olive oil. The butter adds richness and the olive oil imparts a sophisticated fruity flavor when paired with chocolate. It may sound strange to bake with olive oil but it's used quite often for cakes and cookies in Mediterranean cuisines. That being said, if it's straight up richness you're after, there's nothing wrong with using all butter. Either way, I think they're best enjoyed warm with a cup of tea.
Double Chocolate Chunk, Cherry & Pecan Cookies
Makes 2 dozen cookies
1/4 cup (56 gr.) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp (108 gr) coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup (126 gr) spelt flour
1/4 cup (15 gr) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
100 gr. dark chocolate (72%), roughly chopped (~ scant 3/4 cup)
1/3 cup (50 gr.) dried cherries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (48 gr.) toasted pecans, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 350
In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to cream together butter and sugar. Add olive oil and egg. Use handheld beaters to beat until creamy. Add vanilla extract.
Use a spatula to fold in spelt, cocoa powder, and salt. Once halfway mixed in, fold in chocolate chunks, dried cherries and toasted pecans just until everything is well combined.
Use a small cookie scoop (2" in diameter - holds 2-3 tsp dough) to place heaped scoops onto baking sheet a few inches apart. Bake 11-12 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
Enjoy warm! Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.