068 / 75 · Something Sweet for a Break
Rye, Dark Chocolate and Cherry Cookies
18 cookies; 6 servings of 3 · Active 25 min · Total 1 hr 40 min
Print recipe · PDFRye flour gives these cookies a warm, earthy background for dark chocolate and small pieces of dried cherry. The centers stay a little tender while the edges become crisp. They are different from a heavily filled bakery cookie: each one is small enough to pack in a modest break tin. A short chill keeps the dough manageable and helps the cookies hold a deliberate shape in the oven.
Chop the additions evenly
Large dried cherries can pull a cookie apart when you bite through them. Cut them into small pieces and chop the chocolate into uneven but modest chunks. A few smaller chocolate fragments melt into the dough, while larger pieces remain distinct. Use dried cherries rather than fresh fruit, whose extra moisture would change both the baking and storage of this recipe.
Give rye some support
The all-purpose flour supplies structure alongside the rye. Using rye for the entire flour quantity would produce a different spread and a more fragile cookie, so keep the blend for this version. Cream the butter and sugar until smooth, then mix gently once the flour is added. Chilling the portioned dough firms the butter without turning the mixture into a hard block that needs wrestling with a spoon.
Bake with room between portions
Nine cookies on each large tray give the dough space to spread. Bake the trays in sequence for an even result, keeping the waiting tray chilled. The cookies should look set around the edges but a little softer in the middle. They finish firming as they cool. Let them become completely cold before putting them in a container; a warm cookie sealed with the batch will soften the others with trapped steam.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (85 g)
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (75 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
- 3/4 cup rye flour (90 g)
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour (85 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (2 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
- 2 3/4 oz dark chocolate, chopped (80 g)
- 1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped (50 g)
Set out
Two large baking sheets, Baking paper, Mixing bowl, Hand mixer or sturdy spoon, Wire rack
Allergens
Rye, Wheat, Egg, Milk from butter; chocolate may also contain milk, soy or nuts. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Line both baking sheets with paper. Beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Mix the rye flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt separately. Fold into the butter mixture, then fold in the chopped chocolate and cherries until just combined.
- Divide into 18 portions, about 2 level tablespoons each. Roll roughly into balls, place 9 on each sheet with at least 2 inches (5 cm) between them, and flatten slightly. Refrigerate both trays for 20 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Bake the first tray for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly browned and the centers have lost their raw shine. Keep the other tray chilled and bake it afterward for the same time.
- Leave cookies on each tray for 5 minutes, then move to a rack and cool completely for about 20 minutes before storing.
Portion the batch after cooling
Separate a few cookies for the next break and freeze the rest in small packets. That makes the batch useful across different shifts without repeatedly opening the whole container.
A useful detail
The cooking time allows two sequential trays. Do not taste raw dough; flour and egg need to be cooked.
Another way
- Replace dried cherries with the same weight of chopped dried cranberries.
- Use chopped milk chocolate at the same weight for a sweeter cookie; this adds milk if the original dark chocolate was milk-free.
Keep it well
Store fully cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 2 months, separating layers with paper. Thaw covered and pack in a small rigid container away from wet food. Check chocolate labels if serving anyone with milk, soy or nut allergies.