Flavors of chocolate and cherry come together in these rich cookies that are named after the popular Black Forest Cake.
I love it when a recipe brings back memories. I originally wasn’t going to make any cookies out of this month’s Cookbook of the Month: Baked – New Frontiers in Baking. Mainly because I have a lot of cookie recipes in my archive waiting to be posted. But when I saw this recipe for Black Forest Chocolate Cookies, I knew I had to make them!
I haven’t had a black forest cake in years. In about 9 years to be exact. Seeing the cookie recipe took me back to a cake I made many, many years ago. 2 of my sisters and I had been living in an apartment, but were moving to a condo. The only problem was that there was a week or two, I can’t remember exactly how long, that we would be homeless because we had to be out of the apartment before we could move into the condo. We didn’t know what we were going to do. We looked into staying into a hotel, but that was a lot more than any of us could afford on student budgets. Luckily, a friend of ours came to the rescue and let all three of us stay with him while we were homeless. While we were staying with him, it was his birthday. The least we could do was make him a birthday cake!!
You’ll have to excuse the really poor quality of this photo – I had to scan it, and the quality is horrible. But I remember being so proud of this cake. The sad thing is, I didn’t really bake much back then, but my decorating skills haven’t improved much!
I know that cookies and cakes are different, but I had to make these Black Forest Cookies. My only complaint with these cookies is that I was expecting more of a black forest taste with cherries and chocolate, but really, you mostly get chocolate with a very slight hint of cherry. If I wasn’t expecting more of a cherry flavor to come through, I think I would have been completely wowed by these cookies.
If you love chocolate, you will love these cookies. With 28 ounces of chocolate, you’d have to!! I have to admit that these would have broke the bank for me if I had to use “good” chocolate. 16 ounces of dark chocolate is not cheap! But luckily, I ran across some Guittard extra dark chocolate chips that I had never seen before, and they cut down on the cost significantly. And I think the taste was amazing! The recipe says that it makes 24 cookies, but I got at least twice that many – so beware that this makes a lot! This dough is not easy to work with, so make sure you refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, and be ready to get your hands messy when you are forming the balls. I usually use a small ice cream scoop when I make cookies, but this dough was too sticky to use it, so I had to use my hands.
Like I mentioned last week, I took these to my girls at church and had them rate them. They all gave these 5 out of 5! My husband gave them a 4.5, and I’m somewhere in the middle, so we’ll settle at 4.8. Not bad!
Recipe rating: 4.8 out of 5
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 large eggs
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (6 ounces) dried cherries
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the dark chocolate and butter,. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugars on high speed until the mixture is pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
- Add the cooled chocolate mixture and the vanilla and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and beat again for 10 seconds.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, about 10 seconds. Do not overmix.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and dried cherries.The dough will look very loose, but it will harden in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drop the dough by rounded tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time, until the tops of the cookies are set and begin to show a few cracks.
- Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing from the pans and serving.
I have not had Black Forest Cake in a long time either, and it was always one of my favorites, think I will give the cookies a try. Thanks
I have a friend who is crazy about Black Forest Cake, and I wanted to try these cookies for him because I knew he’d love them! They look great!
You have a great memory! I so don’t remember that cake, but I sure do remember that homeless period…ugh! Next time you choose a baking cookbook for the month, can you bring all the treats to me? 🙂 Yummy!
My husband loves black forest anything and cookies, so this is the perfect treat for him. Thanks.
mmm, those cookies look delicious!
Mmmm…those look delicious. I really, really want this cookbook now.
Black Forest is one of my flavor combinations. I can’t wait to browse through the book and see what over great ideas they have come up with.
mellisa.willis@sbcglobal.net
Oh, yummy! Wonderfully flavored cookies!
Cheers,
Rosa
I almost made these this morning. Instead I made the chocolate chip cookies from Baked. The dough is still chilling in the fridge? Have you tried those yet? Happy Easter!
These cookies sound so good! I like the use of hte dried cherries in them!
I have to make these cookies. They look SO good. Thanks!!
those sound like my kind of cookie!!!! I can’t wait to try them.
Yum! These sound like my kind of cookies! I’ve never had black forest cake before. :/
Yum…I love anything with chocolate. I haven’t ever tried Black Forest cakes so it should be fun.
I have never had a black forest cake, do these cookies give you a glimpse of what it tastes like? You should post the black forest cake recipe.
I have never had a black forest cake, do these cookies give you a glimpse of what it tastes like? You should post the black forest cake recipe.
I’d love to win this cookbook! I can’t say I’m a fan of the cherry/chocolate combo, but there are a lot of other recipes in there that I’ve seen that I’d like to try!
The cake looks great and the cookies sound delicious. I’d love to win this cookbook! Thanks for offering it.
That’s a pretty high rating…and a lot of chocolate! K x
Those cookies look amazing! A cookie version of black forest cake is a great idea.
I adore this cookbook; I already have a copy so no need to enter me in. But the cookies came out great! Happy Easter to you!
Mmm that recipe looks fabulous!
My husband loves black forest cake. This recipe sounds great. Thanks for the post.
I haven’t had this cake in awhile either, I’d like to try the cookies :). I’m loving the old photo, too. I just came across a picture of an old cake I made in college, I was so proud of it then-it was completely made out of cake box ingredients, though :P.
I’m a cookie-gal so I’m all over this recipe! I’ve made a few things from the guys from Baked, but I haven’t pulled the trigger on getting that cookbook yet. It’s on my must-have list though!
Oh my! Those cookies look amazing. Thanks for sharing.
Wish I could make the better half happy with these for his birthday but I’ve already promised him the cake. Maybe there will be both 😉
wow, these sure looks great!
OMG!! This book is on my WANT list, big time! These cookies look terrific. I have got to try them. I adore black forest cake!
These look so yummy! Would love to get a copy of this cookbook!
These must be yummy!
I’ve never had Black Forest Cake, but these cookies look delicious.
THOSE LOOK AWESOME!!!
Wow that is a lot of chocolate! They look delicious. There’s a dark chocolate cherry cookie recipe I’ve been eyeing in the Sweet Melissa Baking Book..
My Mom has a Black Forest Cake for her birthday every year, these cookies look like the perfect in between birthday treat.
These look seriously yummy!
How nice of you to make your friend a bday cake (and how wonderful of him to let you and the sisters stay with im)! I love that a cookie can bring back such wonderful memories. I wonder how you could increase ther cherry flavor in these. Is there such thing as cherry extract? Once again, Baked has proven to be a great book!
They look great!
I am a chocolate nut, so these cookies would be a real treat for me! They look wonderful!
Those look delicious!
Find more Black Forest Cookies in my recipe blog search:
HERE
I wish I had one of these cookies right now. Who am I kidding I wish I had them all. Love chocolate and cherries.
I thought your cake looked pretty good!
Happy Easter!
~ingrid
I love black forest stuff, but I have never tried a cookie like this before. Interesting.
I have to try this cookie version of my most favorite cake!
These look delicious. With good chocolate I’ll bet they’re magnificent.
black forest cake always surprises me with its deliciousness. cookie form is a great idea!
I love a Black Forest cake so the cookie intrigues me.
OMG! This sounds so yummy! Can’t wait to try it.
I’ve never had black forest cake, but I made some chocolate cherry cookies a while ago and they were great. These sound similar, but I used dutch process cocoa powder instead. Love the chocolate and cherry combo.
This cake looks wonderful! I’d love to try it and other recipes in “Baked”.
Looks absolutely awesome!
Yum sounds delicious! I need this book!
These cookies were made for my husband! Marking the recipe for my next batch!
Please pick me for this cookbook!
Those look so yummy! I can’t wait to try them myself.
Wow that sounds one chocolatly cookie. Love the addition of the cherries too.
mmm, looks delicious.
what a great idea, put the cake in the cookie!
My husband loves cherries so anytime I can get them in desserts is a plus. I think he’ll love these cookies!
Haven’t made a Black Forest Cake in years. Maybe I will muster up the courage to try it again or maybe the cookies this time.
Happy Twirls
I can’t wait to give these a try. YUM! 🙂
I’ve seen this recipe before, and now I totally have to make these!!
WHAT?? 6 *large* eggs in one batch of cookies??? That sounds extremely decadent 🙂
yum. i’ve been wanting to make a cookie version of german chocolate cake recently, and this is a good starting point. you’re right, with that much chocolate, you can’t go wrong.
thanks for the recipe!
Inspiring post.
I doubt the amount of chocolate is necessary – I would reduce some and make it up with cocoa powder.
Maybe reduce to 5 eggs but separate them. Beat the 5 egg whites to give the cookies more body. Also, use only 3-4 yolks.
Soak the cherries in some liqueur. I personally like brandy.
Not sure about role of white chocolate chips when so much butter is used.
And of course the whipped cream. Maybe make a well in the cookie?
Looks like my weekend just filled up!
i LOVE blackforest:)
oh i can’t wait to try these. i am a fan of chocolate
We used to have Black Forest Cake as kids. This would be so good!!
Wow, I’ve never heard of Black Forest “cookies”!!! Yummm!!!! Bookmarking now…
I’m new to your site, but just love what I’m seeing! I have a weakness for all things sugar, LOL, and this looks divine! Cherries and chocolate, what’s not to like??
I wonder how delicious these would be with dried cranberries or raspberries…
Hi! I've linked your post to my Black Forest Chocolate Cookies post. You're welcome to join my cookbook giveaway.
Baking is my Zen will be having a
COOKBOOK GIVEAWAY
from August 8 through August 14, 2010.
http://bakingismyzen.blogspot.com/2010/08/cookbook-giveaway-by-baking-is-my-zen.html
The giveaway will be the ‘not yet released’ cookbook,
Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented
By Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1584798505/ref=tsm_1_fb_lk
Carmen of Baking is my Zen
Black Forrest is my favorite cake! I always get one from The Madonna Inn for my birthday!
Wow, I love chocolate and my mom was a cake decorator so I am a huge fan of cookies and pies. Cakes are rarely worth it and I can pretty much count on one hand the ones I would eat and not care if I ate the whole thing. Anyway, I’m very excited to try these. Thanks.