Triple Chocolate Cherry Drop Cookies

11/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup finely chopped chocolate chunks or miniature chocolate chips

3/4 cup dried cherries, plus another 36 reserved

1 bag (11 ounces) white chocolate bits

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and both sugars. Use an electric mixer to beat until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and vanilla, mixing to fully incorporate. Gradually add the dry ingredients, then mix in the chocolate chips and 3/4 cup of cherries.

Arrange 1 tablespoon balls of dough on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 11/2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake the cookies, rotating the sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through, until spread and set, about 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Set out sheets of parchment or wax paper.

Once the cookies are cool, in a microwave-safe bowl, heat the white chocolate on high in 15-second bursts, stirring between each, until fully melted and smooth.

One at a time, dunk half of each cookie into the melted white chocolate, then set on the parchment paper. Place 1 of the reserved cherries on top of the white chocolate on each cookie. Refrigerate to set.

Cookies can be stored in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Makes 30 cookies.

Associated Press