Today's cookies bake up soft and moist, and feature a delicious combination of cherries, chocolate chips, and nuts.  This combination provides a delicious contrast of textures, going from soft to crunchy, along with layers of flavors, from sweet to fruit to chocolatey to nutty. 

These cookies will keep you and your loved ones coming back for more. 

Being only quasi-homemade (we're getting a little help from a box mix) today's cookies really couldn't be simpler to put together.  Simply mix, form the cookies, set them on a baking sheet, and then pop them in the oven.

Today's cookies are also super versatile, meaning you can tweak them to your liking, as well as substitute most of the ingredients.  As an example, see my Lavender Chocolate Chip Cookies or my personal favorite Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Now, without further delay, let's make some cookies.

Equipment Notes

• Parchment Paper.  This is simply my preferred way of keeping the cookies from sticking.  However, a well buttered cookie sheet or nonstick baking pan will work fine as well.

Ingredient Checklist and Notes

• The Box Mix.  I'm using a plain yellow cake box mix.  Feel free to use the cake mix of your choice.  More on that below.
• Butter.  Plain unsalted butter.  Be sure to let it soften before use.
• Flour. All-purpose flour is probably best for today's cookies.  Bread flour would result in a 'hard' and 'dense' cookie, while baking flour is simply unnecessary given that we're using a box mix.
• Vanilla.  Vanilla extract, beans, or paste will all work fine.  Remember that paste, beans, and extract all substitute at a one-to-one ratio.
• Eggs. Not a whole lot to say here, other than these help bind it all together and add fat for moisture and flavor.
• Brown Sugar.  I'm using dark brown sugar because it has more of that 'molasses flavor' that we're looking for.  Substitutes below.
• Dried Cherries.  Give these a few decent chops before adding them into the mix.  The reason is to check for pits or pit fragments.
• Chocolate Chips.  Basic chocolate chips, I prefer dark chocolate for today's cookies, but milk chocolate will work just fine.
• Walnuts.  These add a nice bit of complexity to the cookies, in my opinion, both in terms of taste and texture.  See below for substitutions.

Substitutes

• The Box Mix.  As mentioned above, any box mix will work just fine for today's recipe.  Yes, moist and super moist would work as well.
• The Flour.  Almond flour or brown rice flour can stand in for wheat flour.  Brown rice flour, in particular, doesn't have a strong flavor, and has a powdery texture similar to wheat flour, making it a good choice for most baked goods.
• Walnuts.  Pecans are my go-to substitute for walnuts, and vice versa.  Pecans substitute at a one-to-one ratio.  They feature a crisp and buttery texture, whereas walnuts are a bit 'woodier' in terms of flavor, which I find stands out more in today's cookies.  Peanuts or almonds would also work just fine in place of walnuts.
• Dried Cherries.  Your dried fruit of choice will substitute just fine in place of the dried cherries.  However, dried cranberries or chopped apricots would be my recommendation.
• Brown Sugar Substitutes.  There are a couple of 'okay' substitutes.  The best substitute is molasses.  Simply mix a teaspoon of molasses with a quarter of a cup of white sugar, and use that in place of the brown sugar.  The next best substitute is maple syrup.  Mix a teaspoon of maple syrup mixed with a quarter of a cup of white sugar.  In both cases, stir until combined, and then use that in place of the brown sugar.  Coconut sugar is also a decent substitute for brown sugar.  Use that at a one to one ratio.

Variations

• Dried Fruit.  Raisins or chopped apricots would work fine in today's cookies - or a mix of both!  Experiment with the dried fruit of your choice, and let me know in the comments below how it worked out.
• White Chocolate.  White chocolate chips would pair just fine in today's cookies if you prefer - or in addition to the chocolate chips.  The more the merrier.
• Chocolate Dipped.  If you're feeling adventurous, you can melt some chocolate in a Dutch oven, dip the cookies half way after cooking, and then let them chill on a wire rack.

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