Alright Alright Aaaalllllright! This whole 2013 business is real. There’s no denying it. We’re seven days in… and there’s just no stopping this year from happening. That, in fact, is a total blessing.
January is such a strange month. I can’t be the only one that thinks so.
Half of my friends are majorly enthusiastic about their New Year’s resolutions. I am in total support of this… I’m just bummed that we can’t have drinks because they’re on a juice cleanse. Half of my friends are freaking out about Valentine’s Day, and I firmly believe that it’s a) TOO SOON, and b) we’re totally too old to freak out about that holiday. The last half of my friends (because I have three-halves of friends) are so majorly task driven that they’re emailing the world into oblivion.
In other words… help! Where is the room for cookies in this odd summation of friends?
I’m glad you’re here. Let’s just take this goodness in together.
ps. HAPPY (dang) NEW YEAR!
Truth be told, these cookies were just an excuse to buy white chocolate. As if I need an excuse.
In these cookies, white chocolate is combined with tart dried cherries and sweet, enticing maple syrup.
Pancake syrup will not do for these cookies. We’re talking about real-deal maple syrup. The stuff that comes from trees.
Old-fashioned oats and a hearty amount of cinnamon.
These cookies are homemade, salt-of-the-earth cookies.
Maple syrup adds a really lovely round sweetness to the cookies… different from granulated sugar,
It’s a round sweetness that feels like it comes from trees… because it does.
I like to guarantee that my cookies have white chocolate and dried cherry visible on the top of the cookie after they’ve finished baking.
For this reason, I add a chunk of dark chocolate and a single dried cherry to the top of the cookie dough before baking.
I appreciate a sure thing.
These cookies might be considered mega-ultras. The oatmeal cookies are crisp around the edges and soft through the center. The brown sugar and maple syrup give these cookies an extra rich flavor. The cherries and white chocolate are just icing on the cake… so to speak. If you’re not a fan of white chocolate and cherries, pecans and dark chocolate would bake an incredible substitute.
These cookies are miraculous straight out of the oven. They’re delicious a few hours after baking… a few days after baking… and they’re even a good cookie to ship across the country.
In other cookie related business, you might consider:
Dark Chocolate, Pistachio, and Smoked Sea Salt Cookies
and
Cappuccino Cookies with Espresso and White Chocolate
You know… just a (cookie) thought.
Maple, White Chocolate and Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
makes just over 2 dozen cookies
adapted from Big Fat Cookie Book
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned uncooked oatmeal
3/4 cup dried cherries
1 cup white chocolate chunks
Place racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium-low speed until thoroughly combined and slightly fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition. Add vanilla extract and maple syrup and beat to combine.
Add the flour mixture and beat just until incorporated. Fold in oats, dried cherries, and white chocolate chunks. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Spoon batter onto prepared pans by the heaping tablespoonful. Leave about 2 inches of space between cookies. Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until beautifully golden brown throughout. Remove from the oven and cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to four days.
Nelly
These looks amazing! I love the flavor combination of the sweet white chocolate and rich maple syrup.
I totally hear you on the whole weird January thing, it is such a non month, especially considering no one is back to work until 8th, then you have to spend an extraordinary amount of time listening to everyone’s Christmas stories.
is it February yet?
(Happy New Year!!)
Erin @ The Speckled Palate
I love that this calls for a ridiculous (and awesome) amount of maple syrup. Definitely putting these babies on my to-bake list.
Happy New Year to you!
joythebaker
it is a ton of maple syrup, isn’t it? awesome indeed.
JO
Just the thing to use up my nearly-empty bag of dried cherries. There goes the juice cleanse ;)
Chris
If you weren’t already my favorite person, you would be again!
NOMZ. Mos def.
Jayne
Healthy cookie. I like that.
Annes Kitchen
Oh boy, or shall I say oh joy/Joy?! These cookies mix all my very favourite flavours in the world, major yuuuuuum! I’d suggest having a nice tumbler of whisky on the rocks with it – to drink to all that your juice-friends are missing out on!
Kathryn
Pretty much the perfect cookie to start the new year with. Happy 2013 Joy!
Margherita
Loving the cherries + white chocolate combination, definitely a winner!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I love all the flavors going on! I just made maple cookies with brown sugar and also love white chocolate in any form and no excuses necessary to buy it…I’m always well-stocked on it! Mmm, love the textures in these, too!
joythebaker
the texture is definitely over the top!
Angela @ the fairy bread chronicles
oh joy! i, too, agree totally with the “january is a weird month” thing. it’s just… awkward. like a creepy neighbour that you really don’t enjoy seeing but have to make smalltalk with.
THESE COOKIES OFFICIALLY MAKE JANUARY BETTER.
thank you for this genius!
Elizabeth
I love the light in the first picture. It’s like the cookie gods are shining down, bringing you these cookies!
Jess
I’m with you – let’s all just eat cookies and forget about all this New Year’s hullabaloo. Cherries and white chocolate are dreamy together in desserts- these look amazing!
Ravan
If you have any extras, you can just send them my way….. :-]
Naomi Liddell
Hey… question….
Do you think I could use fresh cherries in this recipe?
I have a ton of them in my fridge that are ready to go and thought I could salvage them in some maple, oaty goodness?
Thanks!
joythebaker
fresh cherries would have to much liquid for these cookies. i think dried is best.
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Yes to cookies! Love these!