INGREDIENTS

1 Cup         Dried tart cherries (rough chop)

½ Cup        Orange juice

1 Cup         Butter (Room temp, 2 sticks)

¾ Cup        Sugar (Granulated)

¾ Cup        Brown sugar

2                 Eggs

1 tsp           Baking soda

1 tsp           Salt

2 ½ Cups    All-purpose flour

½ Cup         Dark chocolate, iced chunky

½ Cup         Milk chocolate, diced chunky

1 Cup          Toasted walnuts, chopped large chunks

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METHOD:

1. Combine ½ cherries and OJ in a pot, bring to a boil then simmer until most of the juice has evaporated stirring often; set aside and cool.

2. In stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment, lightly cream butter and sugars for 1 minute on med.

3. Blend in eggs one at a time along with vanilla scrapping down the sides in between additions.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together then add to mixer in half’s. Just before the last flour dump, add the chopped chocolate’s, cooled cherries and reserved chopped cherries.

5. Mix until combined; chill for 1 hour.

6. Scoop to desired size, press gently to about 1"thickness, sprinkle with sea salt.

7. Bake at 350°for 15 minutes or just until the ends start to lightly brown. They may seem under done but will continue to cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack then place in zip bag to help keep moist and chewy. Enjoy!

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TIP:

• Placing all whisked dry ingredients on a piece of parchment paper then holding up and sliding them into the mixer bowl makes it MUCH easier to add dry to wet instead of adding from a bowl.

• I always get a chunk of chocolate then chop down instead of purchasing chips. They have a uniformed appearance that looks old world when baked. I do the same with nuts and dried fruit.

• Options for swapping out the cherries are: any dried apricots, raisins, mangos, papayas, prunes. Make sure to reconstitute with juice as instructed above.