(I've posted on this before)
They are absolutely DIVINE! One of my favorites of all time-and when we are in TX we will drive out of the way to buy some. If you get a real craving, the Collins Street Bakery will ship anywhere in the lower 48...
However, I, rather than just have them shipped, have been monkeying around with various recipes for literally years now in an effort to come close to this cherry cookie perfection.
In the last year though, I've hit the jackpot- it started with an episode of America's Test Kitchen (we love some PBS in this house). They baked the perfect chewy sugar cookie and they just looked so good I had to try it. So I baked some up and true to the promise- they were the best chewy sugar cookie I'd ever eaten. As soon as I took a bite I knew I was close to the cherry cookie winner.
I mixed up another batch and added cherries.
Oh. My. Goodness. I'd done it.
These are not exactly like the TX bakery version, but they are rich, chewy and oh so close.
To mix up some you need to visit America's Test Kitchen and start with their recipe for Chewy Sugar Cookies.
Follow the recipe directions exactly. When you are prepping ingredients take 2/3 cup of maraschino cherries and 1/3 cup candied cherries (you know the kind in fruit cake- find them in the produce dept. usually or baking aisle) and chop them up- minced really. You can do these without the candied cherries just use a whole cup of maraschino.
Drain the chopped cherries really well in a colander while you mix up the sugar cookies.
***If the cherries are too juicy they will make the cookie dough too thin and they cookies won't come out right. I put them in a clean tea towel and squeeze out some of the juice.
Once the dough is mixed up, add in the cherries - I fold them in with a rubber spatula.
Finish according the the sugar cookie recipe by rolling them in granulated sugar and baking at 350. LET THEM COOL ON THE PAN! Then enjoy:).
