Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I use chopped raw almonds in these; you could also use walnuts or pecans. They make a nice carry-along snack for bike rides or picnic lunches (and I’m speaking from personal experience!)

Adapted from Bon Appetit, February 1998.

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried tart cherries
1/2 cup chopped almonds, walnuts or pecans, toasted

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in egg and both extracts. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in oats, then chocolate chips, cherries and almonds.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake cookies about 18 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets (cookies will firm as they cool).

Makes 2 dozen.