Description
These Chocolate Cherry Cookies offer a delightful combination of rich cocoa-flavored cookies filled with luscious cherry-infused chocolate ganache. Soft, slightly fudgy cookies with a perfectly shaped indent to hold a smooth cherry ganache center make this treat a perfect dessert or snack for chocolate and cherry lovers alike.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chocolate Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 cup (40 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (165 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Cherry Ganache
- 5 oz chocolate, chopped (preferably dark chocolate with cherry pieces)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (85 g) cherry preserves
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Set this mixture aside to be combined later with the wet ingredients.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment to cream the softened unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated white sugar on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and mix on medium speed for about 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while mixing on low speed just until fully combined to form the cookie dough.
- Shape and Chill Dough: Using a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop, portion out the dough into 32 balls. Immediately press the center of each ball with a 1/4 teaspoon to make an indent. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Fifteen minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange 8 cookies per sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes or until the edges are set but centers are still soft (about 10 minutes is ideal).
- Press Indents and Shape Cookies: While cookies are hot out of the oven, lightly press the center of each cookie again with a 1/4 teaspoon to restore the indent. Use a circular cookie cutter or biscuit cutter to gently shape each cookie into a perfect circle and reduce their size slightly to original dimensions.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Chocolate Cherry Ganache: Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan until just about to boil, then pour it over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Stir in the cherry preserves until evenly combined.
- Fill Cookies and Chill: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cherry chocolate ganache into the indent of each cooled cookie, adding more if it fits. Place the filled cookies in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to allow the ganache to set.
- Store: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Notes
- Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for a rich, deep chocolate flavor.
- Chilling the dough is essential to maintain the cookie shape and create a perfect indent.
- Pressing the cookies after baking and shaping with a cookie cutter ensures a uniform size and shape for filling.
- Choose a dark chocolate with cherry pieces for added texture and flavor in the ganache.
- Cookies are best enjoyed within three days for optimal freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
