Almost Cherry Garcia Cookies

Directions

1. Plump the dried cherries: Place dried sour cherries in a small heatproof bowl. Pour boiling water over the cherries until just covered. Let sit for 1 to 2 minutes to soften them slightly, then drain well, pressing gently to remove excess water.
2. Soak cherries in kirsch: Transfer the drained cherries to a clean bowl and pour kirsch (cherry brandy) over them to just cover. Toss to coat, then cover and let soak for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight at room temperature for the best flavor. When ready to use, drain the cherries thoroughly; excess liquid will make the dough too wet.
3. Preheat oven and prep baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
4. Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat unsalted butter, softened to room temperature with granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Add egg and extracts: Beat in the large egg, at room temperature, followed by vanilla extract and teaspoons almond extract. Mix until just combined; don’t overmix.
6. Combine dry ingredients and mix into dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold in with a spatula or mix on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix or the cookies will be tough.
7. Fold in cherries, chocolate, and nuts: Gently fold in the drained kirsch-soaked cherries, 0.8 cups white chocolate, roughly chopped into chunks, semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped into chunks, and macadamia nuts, roughly chopped (optional) (if using). The dough should be soft but scoopable. If it feels too sticky, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
8. Portion and bake: Using a generous tablespoon or a medium cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons), drop mounds of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone; they will firm up as they cool.
9. Cool the cookies: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting time helps them set without breaking apart.

Optional Variations

• Non-alcoholic: Replace kirsch with cherry juice or maraschino cherry syrup. The flavor will be milder but still delicious.
• No Kirsch? Kirsch can be hard to find, you can substitute with rum, or bourbon
• Dark chocolate lover: Swap the white chocolate for additional semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate.
• Nut-free: Simply omit the macadamia nuts, or substitute toasted coconut flakes for added texture.
• Brown butter: Brown the butter before creaming for a deeper, nuttier flavor that complements the cherries beautifully.
• Ice cream sandwiches: Sandwich a scoop of cherry vanilla ice cream between two cookies for the full Cherry Garcia experience; absolutely deadly delicious.

Here are a few drink pairings that would work beautifully:

1. Coffee (Espresso or Latte) Why: The bitterness of espresso cuts right through the sweetness of the white chocolate and sugar. A creamy latte or cappuccino also complements the richness of the macadamia nuts.
2. Cold Milk (Whole or Almond) Why: This is the classic pairing for a reason. The cold milk provides a refreshing contrast to the warm, chewy cookie. Macadamia nuts have a high fat content, so the fat in the milk pairs very well with them.
3. Tawny Port or Cream Sherry Why: This is a sophisticated pairing. Both Port and Sherry have nutty, dried-fruit notes that mirror the macadamia nuts and cranberries in the cookie perfectly. The sweetness of the wine matches the sweetness of the cookie.
4. Earl Grey Tea Why: The bergamot (orange) oil in Earl Grey adds a citrusy, floral note that lifts the heavy sweetness of the white chocolate. It creates a really nice balance.
5. Root Beer Why: Don’t knock it until you try it! Root beer is essentially “cookie and cream” in liquid form. The vanilla and sassafras flavors pair incredibly well with white chocolate and nuts.