Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Cherry Coconut Chocolate Cookies
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
40 mins
1 hour 25 mins
2 hours 35 mins
Serves:
30 large cookies
Nikki created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. Inspired by a popular Australian chocolate bar, her rich chocolate cookies are packed with cherries, desiccated coconut and hazelnuts, a combination Paul Hollywood called stunning. This Fix-It version keeps every flavor but roasts the f...
Read more
Ingredients
FOR THE TOASTED HAZELNUTS AND ROASTED CHERRIES: 1 cup hazelnuts 1½ lb fresh sweet cherries (weighed whole), pitted and halved (about 4 cups) 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
FOR THE CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH: 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 1 cup packed dark brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs, at room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2½ cups all-purpose flour ¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon fine salt 8 oz dark chocolate (60–70%), chopped into chunks 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
FOR THE FINISH: ¼ cup powdered sugar, for dusting
EQUIPMENT: Oven thermometer Stand mixer or hand mixer Kitchen scale 3-tablespoon cookie scoop 3 baking sheets Parchment paper Wire racks Cherry pitter Fine-mesh sieve Clean kitchen towel
Method
STEP 1: TOAST THE HAZELNUTS
Heat the oven to 400°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant and the skins crack. Rub them in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the skins, then chop roughly and set aside.
STEP 2: ROAST THE CHERRIES
Toss the halved cherries with the granulated sugar and spread them cut side up in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 18–22 minutes, until the juice has bubbled away and the cherries are sticky and slightly shrunken, not wet. Cool completely on the sheet, then chop roughly. Discard any syrup that has pooled; do not add it to the dough.
STEP 3: MAKE THE DOUGH
Beat the butter with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Do not beat until fluffy; extra air makes a cakey cookie. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Sift the flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together, then mix in on low speed until just combined.
STEP 4: ADD THE MIX-INS
Fold in the dark chocolate, desiccated coconut, toasted hazelnuts and the cooled, chopped cherries. The coconut also absorbs any moisture left on the fruit.
STEP 5: PORTION AND CHILL
Scoop 30 balls with a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop and weigh each one to 2 oz on a kitchen scale. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes.
STEP 6: BAKE A TEST COOKIE
Put an oven thermometer on the middle rack and lower the oven to 375°F. Wait until the thermometer reads 375°F. Bake one test cookie for 12 minutes. Chocolate dough hides its color, so judge by touch: the edges should be firm and set and the center should look just underdone. Adjust the time for the rest by a minute either way.
STEP 7: BAKE THE BATCHES
Bake 6 cookies per parchment-lined sheet, well spaced, for the same time each round. Keep the remaining dough in the fridge until it goes in. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to wire racks. The centers firm up as they cool, which keeps the chew.
STEP 8: FINISH
When the cookies are completely cool, dust them lightly with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve.
NOTE
For a dry alternative to roasting, use dried tart cherries, though they change the character of the fresh fruit Nikki used. Store the cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days and dust with powdered sugar again just before serving.
What next?
Tell us what you'd like and we'll send what you pick.
Video walkthrough
Simpler recipe version
Printable recipe
Weekly recipe digest
Instructions
FOR THE TOASTED HAZELNUTS AND ROASTED CHERRIES:
1 cup hazelnuts
1½ lb fresh sweet cherries (weighed whole), pitted and halved (about 4 cups)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
FOR THE CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
(/interesting-ingredients/vanilla-extract)2½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
(/interesting-ingredients/dutch-process-cocoa-powder)1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
8 oz dark chocolate (60–70%), chopped into chunks
1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
FOR THE FINISH:
¼ cup powdered sugar, for dusting
EQUIPMENT:
Oven thermometer
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Kitchen scale
3-tablespoon cookie scoop
3 baking sheets
Parchment paper
Wire racks
Cherry pitter
Fine-mesh sieve
Clean kitchen towel
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: TOAST THE HAZELNUTS
Heat the oven to 400°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a small baking sheet and toast for 6–8 minutes, until fragrant and the skins crack. Rub them in a clean kitchen towel to remove most of the skins, then chop roughly and set aside.
STEP 2: ROAST THE CHERRIES
Toss the halved cherries with the granulated sugar and spread them cut side up in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 18–22 minutes, until the juice has bubbled away and the cherries are sticky and slightly shrunken, not wet. Cool completely on the sheet, then chop roughly. Discard any syrup that has pooled; do not add it to the dough.
STEP 3: MAKE THE DOUGH
Beat the butter with the dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes. Do not beat until fluffy; extra air makes a cakey cookie. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Sift the flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together, then mix in on low speed until just combined.
STEP 4: ADD THE MIX-INS
Fold in the dark chocolate, desiccated coconut, toasted hazelnuts and the cooled, chopped cherries. The coconut also absorbs any moisture left on the fruit.
STEP 5: PORTION AND CHILL
Scoop 30 balls with a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop and weigh each one to 2 oz on a kitchen scale. Arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for at least 30 minutes.
STEP 6: BAKE A TEST COOKIE
Put an oven thermometer on the middle rack and lower the oven to 375°F. Wait until the thermometer reads 375°F. Bake one test cookie for 12 minutes. Chocolate dough hides its color, so judge by touch: the edges should be firm and set and the center should look just underdone. Adjust the time for the rest by a minute either way.
STEP 7: BAKE THE BATCHES
Bake 6 cookies per parchment-lined sheet, well spaced, for the same time each round. Keep the remaining dough in the fridge until it goes in. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to wire racks. The centers firm up as they cool, which keeps the chew.
STEP 8: FINISH
When the cookies are completely cool, dust them lightly with powdered sugar through a fine-mesh sieve.
NOTE
For a dry alternative to roasting, use dried tart cherries, though they change the character of the fresh fruit Nikki used. Store the cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days and dust with powdered sugar again just before serving.
Comments, or questions, for this recipe
Add a new comment