Cookie+Dried cherries?

[randyjl]

I am wanting to try adding dried cherries to my chocolate chip cookie receipe. Will they be too chewy? Should I soak the cherries, say in liquer, drain them, and then add them to the batter. I do not want the cookies to be too chewy or mushy either.

[morebubbles]

I'd add them just like that, no soaking. Delicious. Dried cranberries work well in cookies too.

[Shayna Madel]

Not sure if this will work with cherries, but sometimes with raisins, I "plump" them by putting them in a steamer basket and steaming them for a few minutes. If you use liquer, you obviously change the flavor of the cherries and hence the cookie. Not sure if I like biting into little lumps of alcohol, but that's just me.

[laurendlewis]

I would add as is, just like raisins. Would be great with an oatmeal cookie, maybe some dark choc chips & pecans.... coconut.... yummmmm!

[malenky]

I do add as is, but give them a little rough chop since they are bigger than most dried fruits normally used.

[pdiakiw]

I always add dried cherries to my cookie dough. They add alot to a cookie. No need to soak or anything.

[Vetter]

I would add them as is, and throw in white chocolate chunks, too! Yum.

They are good booze soaked in brownies, though...

[alkapal]

i'd leave as is, unless they are really dry -- then i'd go with shayna's steam plump-up. i like the chopping idea, too.
here's another idea when you want a fruit and nut cookie: http://onewholeclove.typepad.com/one_...

[rockycat]

There's no need to soak them if you don't want to, but I can't see how a little maceration in rum would hurt. For that matter, soaking just about anything in rum improves a recipe.

[cheesecake17]

I soak dried cherries in rum and add them to oatmeal cookies.