Cherry Garcia Cookies

• 2 cups dried Bing cherries (10 oz.)
• 2/3 cup Kirschwasser Swiss Cherry Liqueur (or a less expensive brand of cherry brandy)
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened--not melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• (2 teaspoons water--high altitude only)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 cups flour (Add 1/4 cup more for high altitude)
• 1 12-oz. package white chocolate chips
• 1 cup coarsely-chopped semisweet chocolate (I use a package of semisweet Chocolate Chunks)
• 1 cup coarsely-chopped, salted, Macadamia nuts (Use food processor, pulse tone, but don't chop too fine)
• Parchment paper to line cookie sheets

1. PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 degrees (375 degrees high altitude)
2. 1. Plump dried cherries by covering with boiling water. Let stand a couple of minutes.
3. Drain well, and toss with cherry liqueur. Let sit overnight for best flavor, then
4. drain and use in recipe.
5. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl.
6. Cream softened butter with granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, & almond.
7. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. (Add water-high altitude ONLY)
8. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
9. 5. Drain cherries and fold in with white chocolate, dark chocolate chunks, and
10. macadamia nuts. Thick! Easier to mix with hands. Batter should be soft.
11. 6. Drop by generous tablespoons onto parchment paper-lined cookie sheet.
12. Slightly flatten with wet palm. (16 cookies per sheetBake only one sheet at a time.)
13. BAKE 14-16min. (20 minutes only - high altitude) until golden brownand darker around the edges. (Be careful when you remove from oven. Parchment paper is slippery and can slide off cookie sheet!) Remove to flat piece of foil to cool, then to Tupperware. Cookies are crispy when first baked, but tend to "soften" up the longer they are in Tupperware. No matter. They're delicious either way!

bing cherries, kirschwasser swiss, butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, almond, water, salt, baking soda, flour, chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate, nuts, paper

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/cherry-garcia-cookies-1213059 (may not work)