Chocolate Chip Dried Cherry Cookies

For a festive variation on the usual chocolate chip cookie, serve these sweet treats studded with dried cherries, chocolate chips and pecans. The cherries add the perfect zip and make these cookies hard to resist. Ideal for sharing with friends.

1 stick organic unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup organic cane sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sifted organic unbleached white flour
1/4 cup sifted organic whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together butter and sugar, beating until light. Add vanilla and eggs. Continue to beat well. Sift together both flours, salt and baking soda, and add to butter mixture, beating again. Stir in chocolate chips, dried cherries and pecans. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper and sprayed with canola or olive oil spray. Bake cookies 15 to 20 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

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