Description
These decadent Chocolate Cherry Cookies feature rich cocoa-flavored cookie bases with a luscious cherry chocolate ganache center. The cookies are perfectly soft with a slight crisp on the edges, enhanced by the fruity sweetness from cherry preserves incorporated into a smooth ganache. Ideal for chocolate lovers looking for an elegant treat with a burst of cherry flavor.
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 (recommend Endangered Species Chocolate Vibrant Cherries + Dark Chocolate)
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (90 ml) heavy cream
- 1/4 cup (85 g) cherry preserves
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on high speed to cream the softened unsalted butter with the light brown sugar and granulated white sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract on medium speed until fully incorporated and the mixture is fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined, avoiding overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
- Form and Chill Dough: Using a tablespoon-size cookie scoop, portion the dough into 32 equal pieces. Roll each portion into a ball and gently press each ball with a 1/4 teaspoon measure to create an indent in the center. Place the dough balls on a tray and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) at least 15 minutes before baking. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and arrange 8 cookies per sheet, spaced evenly.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, with 10 minutes being ideal, until the cookies are set but still soft in the center.
- Re-Shape Cookie Indents: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press the centers again with a 1/4 teaspoon to restore the indent that might have risen during baking. Use a circular cookie cutter or biscuit cutter to gently straighten each cookie’s edges, ensuring a perfect round shape and returning them to their initial size.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Warm the heavy cream just until it begins to boil, then immediately pour it over the chocolate. Let sit for a minute, then stir until smooth and silky.
- Add Cherry Preserves to Ganache: Stir the cherry preserves into the chocolate ganache until fully integrated, creating a rich and fruity filling.
- Assemble Cookies: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the chocolate cherry ganache into the center indent of each cooled cookie. Add more ganache if the indent allows.
- Set Ganache: Place the filled cookies in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to allow the ganache to set firmly.
- Storage: Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerated for up to three days, ensuring the ganache remains firm and fresh.
Notes
- Chilling the dough for one hour is essential to help the cookies keep their shape and develop better flavor.
- Using Dutch-process cocoa powder gives the cookies a rich chocolate depth and darker color.
- Pressing the cookie centers before and after baking ensures a perfect cavity for the ganache without overbaking the cookies.
- For best results, use high-quality bittersweet or dark chocolate with hints of cherry for the ganache to complement the cherry preserves.
- The cookies are best enjoyed within three days, but can be frozen before assembly for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
