Chewy Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

by Caren McSherry

Oatmeal cookies have always been my personal all time favourite...for some odd reason, I equate the oatmeal in the cookie as the ticket to a guilt free treat. Healthy, full of roughage and your daily intake of full grain cereal. Go, go directly to the kitchen and start baking!

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
3/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch sea salt
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (not the instant kind)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
2/3 cup sun dried cherries (cranberries or blueberries can be substituted)
1 cup chopped good quality semi sweet chocolate, chopped into random size chunks

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 2. Beat the butter and both sugars together until light and pale in colour. 3. Add the egg and both extracts. 4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Mix into the batter along with the oats, coconut cherries and chocolate. 5. Beat the mixture well to incorporate all the ingredients evenly. 6. Chill the batter for 1 hour. Using an ice cream scoop (to give you uniform size cookies) portion even scoops on a parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheet. 7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 30-36
Copyright © Caren McSherry / 02/08