cherry pecan cookies with chocolate chips

2 C flour  •  1 tsp baking soda  •  1/2 tsp salt
1 C unsalted butter, room temp  •  1 1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C granulated sugar  •  2 eggs  •  1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 C rolled oats  •  1 1/2 C pecans, chopped  •  1 1/2 C dried cherries
1 C semi-sweet chocolate chips

The holidays always get me on a sweet treats kick, it’s terrible. There are so many yummy desserts that are fun to bake and eat this time of year, this cookie is one of those treats. The combination of the sweet brown sugar, the tart cherries, the crunchy pecans, the rich chocolate and the layers of textures make this cookie practically irresistible. For Thanksgiving I wrapped these cookies in cute little treat bags and handed them out as goodie bags, that way no one left empty handed. This would be a great cookie to serve at your next game night, party, birthday or cookie exchange.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prep cookie sheets by lining with parchment paper and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until creamy. Then add one egg at a time and then the vanilla, beat well. Gradually add in the flour mixture until combined. Stir in the oats first, then the pecans, cherries and chocolate chips. Using a tablespoon scoop about two tablespoons of dough into your hand and roll into a ball then place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 15 minutes or until edges and tops are golden. Allow cookies to sit for a few minutes on the sheet before placing on a rack to fully cool. Store in a air tight container for about a week or freeze and use when needed. 

Makes about 4 dozen

notes: Want your cookies to stay fresh and soft? Place a piece of bread in your air tight container for the first 12 to 24 hours or until the bread becomes hardened, you can throw out the bread once it’s stale. The bread draws out the air from the cookies and allows them to stay nice and moist.

… wishing you a happy Tuesday! Sorry I haven’t blogged the last few days – the holiday threw me off!