Chewy Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

I co-hosted Thanksgiving at a friends' place this year. I had to buy some crisco to make an amazing apple pie. The crisco came in a box with 4 sticks of the stuff, that I never use. I've actually always been a bit of a butter snob, but had heard that crisco is the key to a good pie crust (true facts). So the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when my husband and I were invited to a second dinner, I searched the Crisco site for a recipe that would 1- allow me to get rid of some of this crisco, 2 - I could make with ingredients on hand.

My husband LOVES THESE COOKIES. I like them too, they are chewy, have a great, rich flavor, and while I am not a huge cherry fan, the chocolate and cherry flavor really works. My hints for this one are to cut the cherries into small bits: about the size of a 1 carat diamond, or a pea cut into four, or a half of the top of a push pin. Any smaller and it will just turn the batter pink, any larger and the cheery piece might fall off the cookie. Use small chocolate chips. Make small cookies, about the radius just a little bigger than a quarter. I find this better for parties, no one wants to eat multiple large cookies, but a small "pop-em" size will clear the plate.

From the crisco website:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening
• OR 1/2 stick Crisco® Butter Shortening Sticks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (I did not use pecans, I usually skip nuts in recipes being brought to a party)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained

PREPARATION DIRECTIONS:

1. HEAT oven to 375°F.


2. COMBINE shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended. Beat in sour cream, egg, cherry juice and vanilla. I added another teaspoon of Godiva Liqueur, which enhanced the chocolate and cherry flavor.
   


3. COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Mix into shortening mixture at low speed until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips, nuts and cherries.


4. DROP rounded tablespoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.


5. BAKE 10 to 12 minutes, or until set (look for the cookies to go from a white to a golden yellow). Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets; transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.