Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies...a.k.a Chocolate Wine Cookies

Chocolate and wine... a match made in heaven!
I was thinking recently that I hadn't made anything with tart dried cherries in a long time ( ditto for a cookie recipe in a long time) so I went searching for a chocolate cookie that used tart dried cherries in the recipe and I came across this one from the Food Network site. It was one of the winning recipes from a cookie challenge from a few years ago. The " secret" ingredient isn't in the title so I was a little surprised when I noticed it called for a half cup of red wine. And, don't you know, I just happened to have a bottle of California Merlot hanging around the kitchen!

The cookie recieved many positive reviews, along with a few helpful suggestions, such as increasing the flour amount one quarter cup and if your don't want to use wine, you can always sub cherry juice or cranberry-raspberry juice. You can also swap the cherries for dried cranberries, too.

I baked them even longer than the original recipe states because I prefer a crisper cookie but even for a soft cookie, they still need a few minutes more.
The wine flavor isn't very predominant but, combined with the tart dried cherries and chunked chocolate..it's a really delicious cookie!

Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies ( adapted from the Food Network site)

Makes about 36 cookies

1 1/2 cups AP flour ( I increased the amount to 1 3/4 cups)
3/4 cup good quality cocoa powder ( I only used Hershey's unsweetened cocoa this time but a better quality would give an even more intense chocolate flavor next time!)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup dry red wine ( I used Merlot)
10 ozs. dark chocolate, chunked
1 cup dried tart cherries ( I like Trader Joe's Tart Montmorency Cherries)

Preheat oven to 375. ( I baked mine at approx. 365). Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl.
2. In mixer bowl, cream butter with the sugars til light.
3. Add egg, vanilla and wine and mix to combine.
4. Slowly in batches, add the flour mixture til just combined.
5. Fold in the chocolate and cherries.
6. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough onto your prepared pan, spacing 2" apart.
7. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, checking after 10 minutes, especially if your oven runs hot. ( I baked mine a few minutes longer, but as I stated above, I like mine a little more on the crisp side).

(P.S. Sorry no step by step photos...was pressed for time!)