Dried sweet cherries are found in most grocery stores, also sometimes in the bulk section. The cherries are a little sticky when chopped, but a little flour mixed in with the cherries keeps them from sticking together when added to the dough.

Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

Dough:

¾ cup dried sweet cherries, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ teaspoon pure almond extract

1 tablespoon milk (preferably whole milk)

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 cups old-fashioned oats

Tip: Use standard measuring cups and spoons or scales for accurate measuring.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Baking sheets may be ungreased, lined with parchment paper, or lined with a non-stick baking mat.
   
   Dough:
2. Chop the cherries; sprinkle the coarsely chopped cherries with 1 tablespoon flour to keep the cherries from sticking together. Set aside. Tip: Sprinkle with the 1 tablespoon flour before chopping to help cut down on the stickiness.
   
   
3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter, brown sugar and sugar; cream together until mixture appears light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula so the mixture blends evenly. Add egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and milk; beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg; stir until mixed. Add oats and cherries; stir to mix.
   
   Bake:   
4. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake 13 minutes or until cookies are set and very lightly browned. Remove cookies from baking sheets with a metal spatula and place on a wire cooling rack to cool.
   
   Tip: An ice cream scoop is ideal for making uniform-sized cookies.
   
   Makes about 4 dozen cookies
   
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