We had an open house over the weekend to bring some more interested buyers into our home and hopefully spark a sale.  Prepping the house each time a potential buyer wants to come see it has become a nuisance, but we are keeping out fingers crossed that we will find someone to buy our home.  So I didn’t have much time for baking, but I was in the mood for something chocolaty and  I found a bag of Cherry M&M’s at Target the other day that I have been dying to try.  Chocolate and cherry cookies seemed like a great idea.

I do like cherry flavored food, and dark cherries, but I do not like maraschino cherries.  And what I detest the most is a finding one inside a perfectly good piece of chocolate. Yuck! 

I did try the M&M’s before baking and they were quite good.  I thought they would pair well with a deep dark chocolate cookie, so I substituted Hershey’s Dark Cocoa for regular cocoa in the original recipe.

I am quite happy with my decision.  These cookies are so rich and flavorful.  I couldn’t stop eating them.  These are intense cookies.  Eat at your own risk (of not being able to stop).  If you feel like sharing, these would be a great Valentine’s gift.

Dark Chocolate Cherry M&M Cookies

by The Sweet Chick

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Keywords: bake dessert snack dark chocolate cherry cookie American 

Ingredients (24 cookies)

• 1/2 + 2/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup Hershey’s Dark Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup Cherry M&M candies

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325º F.

Place 2/3 cups chocolate chips in a glass container and microwave at 30 second intervals until fully melted, stirring in between. Set aside.

In a stand mixer combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Mix on low until well blended.

Add butter and sugars and mix for 1 minute.

Pour in the melted chocolate, then add egg and vanilla and mix well.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and mix on low until fully incorporated.

Then add the M&M’s and mix by hand as not to break the candies.

Place by cookie scoop full on greased baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 325º F for 10-12 minutes or until the tops have cracked and a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs.

Place cookies on cooling rack and let cool completely.

Then enjoy with a nice tall glass of milk!