Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

I don't make cookies all that often but when I do, I wonder why that is. They're delicious and portable! You can have just one (good luck with that one) or a handful depending on your appetite and your sweet tooth. They travel well and make a great mid-afternoon snack when the work day is dragging and you think 6:00 will never come.

So now that you're on the bandwagon, go make these cookies. These Cherry Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are no joke. Seriously, they're what's missing in your life. Or at least what's missing from your cookie jar. They're chocolately, soft, and full of awesome. If you don't already have a copy of Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar, go buy one. Or borrow one from a friend or get one from the library. This is just the first of many exciting new cookie discoveries.

At first you think, whatever, this is just some kind of boring chocolate cookie. But no! This is a chocolate cookie with chocolate chips in it. And this doubly chocolately cookie also has dried cherries in it. Oh yeah. And just in case you were starting to feel a little guilty, there's some oatmeal thrown in for a bit of texture and to add a bit of the healthy to your cookie. Well, they're still cookies, the oatmeal isn't magic. But still.

Here's another thing that's cool about these cookies. I think you could easily substitute the dried cherries for another type of dried fruit if you wanted something different or just plain didn't feel like buying dried cherries. If you're one of those people that like white chocolate (bleck) you could just use white chocolate chips instead of the regular chocolate chips. Or get really crazy and use peanut butter chips! I know, I'm out of control right now.

Personally, I love the chocolate and cherry flavors together. Dried cherries are about twice the size of a dried cranberry so you get a bit more fruit in each bite. I bet dried strawberries or blueberries would also rock these cookies. Heck, mix them up if you want, the cookie don't care and neither does the honey badger.

And hey - you still have about a week to enter if you're interested in winning a copy of the Joy of Vegan Baking. Just go to this post and make a comment to enter!