Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal Cookies With Pecans and Dried Cherries

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 1/4 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
• 1 cup dried tart cherry, chopped coarse (I used cranraisins)
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into the size of chocolate chips (I used semi sweet chocolate chips)
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, but still cool
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. 1

   I baked the cookies only one tray at a time so I cannot vouch for the method of baking two at a time. But if you would like to bake two trays at a time adjust oven racks to upper and lower middle positions.

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. 3

   Line 2 large (18 x 12) baking sheets with parchment paper. If you do not have this size, you will need to use 3.

4. 4

   Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.

5. 5

   In second medium bowl, stir together, oats, pecans, cherries and chocolate.

6. 6

   In a standing mixer fitted with flat beater, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until no sugar lumps remain, about 1 minute.

7. 7

   Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula; add egg and vanilla and beat on medium-low speed until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds.

8. 8

   Scrape down bowl; with mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture; mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.

9. 9

   With mixer still running on low, gradually add oat/nut mixture; mix until just incorporated.

10. 10

    Give dough final stir with rubber spatula to ensure that no flour pockets remain and ingredients are evenly distributed.

11. 11

    Divide dough evenly into 16 portions; about 1/4 cup each.

12. 12

    Roll between palms into balls about 2 inches in diameter; stagger 8 balls on each baking sheet, spacing about 2 1/2 inches apart.

13. 13

    Using hands, gently press each dough ball into 1 inch thickness. Bake both sheets 12 minutes, rotate them front to back and top to bottom, then continue to bake until cookies are medium brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft (cookies will seem underdone and will appear raw, wet and shiny in cracks), 8 to 10 minutes longer. (I baked each cookie tray individually for 18 minutes). Do Not Over Bake.

14. 14

    Cool cookies on baking sheets on wire rack 5 minutes; using wide metal spatual, transfer cookies to wire rack and cool to room tempature.