Cherry Cookies

When I was collecting my mom's recipes for my own recipe collection, we had a conversation very similar to this one:

Me: "Oh! I want the raisin cookies recipe you make."

Mom: "They're not raisins."

Me: "Well, then, I want the dried cranberry cookies."

Mom: "They're not cranberries either."

Me: "What are they?"

Mom: "Dried cherries."

Me: "Oh, yeah!"

For some reason, I can  never seem to remember what berries are in these cookies. Whatever they are, they're delicious.

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CHERRY COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup (4 1/2 oz.) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup (5 1/2 oz.) toffee pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350. 
2. Sift flour and baking soda. Set aside. In an electric mixer, using a paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 min.) Scrape down. 
3. Add the egg and mix on high. Add vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again.
4. Add the sifted flour (in additions) on low. 
5. Add the remaining ingredients.
6. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer the cookies to a rack and cool.

FOR REFRIGERATING OR FREEZING:

1. Divide the dough into three equal portions and roll into logs (using plastic wrap) about 1 1/2 in. in diameter. The dough can be chilled in the refrigerator for 1-2 days or frozen. 
2. When you are ready to use the dough, cut the logs into 3/4 in. slices and bake 8-10 minutes on 350.

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Katie