Weekend Cookies;Cherry Oatmeal Cookies Variation

Happy Birthday to my husband, Gregory!  It's a big one and he's not all that excited about it.  I made him a special breakfast this morning of grits, Fresh Air bacon, scrambled eggs, and biscuits and peppery gravy.  He was in heaven with all his favorite breakfast foods at the table.

Last night I made these cookies for him because he loves oatmeal cookies.  They are delicious and next time I would double the recipe.  The directions say it makes 50 cookies-I beg to differ-as I even made mine nearly bite-sized as I could see the dough disappearing.

(Image Source)

Adapted from So Sweet! Cookies, Cupcakes, Whoopie Pies, and More by Sur La Table.  (This book was well worth the $11 I paid for it and I notice it is less than $10 on Amazon now)

Cherry Oatmeal Cookies
(makes about 50 cookies) (makes about 30 cookies)

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 Stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 T. granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 salt
3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup dried sour cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350*F and position rack in the center.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.  (I used my silicone mat)
2. Place the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth. Scrape the bowl well.  Add the egg and vanilla and blend well.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the butter mixture all at once.  Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and blend slowly, just until there are no  more patches of flour.  Scrape down the bowl.
4. Add the oats and cherries and blend on low until just combined.  Remove the bowl from mixer and stir gently a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.
5. Using a small ice cream scoop or a spoon, portion tablespoon-sized mounds (I did teaspoon size) onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.  Bake the cookies for 13-16 minutes, until cookies are golden brown at the edges and still a bit pale in the center.  Transfer to a cooking rack and let the cookies cool.

I did not have dried sour cherries in the house but I did have raisins and dried cranberries.  My husband loves oatmeal raisin cookies and I tossed caution to the wind by adding the cranberries as well.  He loved them-the cranberries add a snap.  I would like to try the dried cherries at some point but who needs a trip to the grocery store for just one ingredient??  These cookies were very quick to make-perfect for time-crunched baking.  Enjoy!

This recipe is linked to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking meme.  See hers and the long list of other food-related posts by clicking over to her site.