I was excited about making the Cherry-Nut Mudslides from Food & Wine, but when I took a closer look at the recipe, I realized I’d be spending at least $20 on chocolate alone. If the cookies were for a special occasion, that would be been okay, but they’re not. They’re just for me and whoever happens to be around, so to cut costs I split the recipe in half and made a few minor changes.
The Mudslides were excellent and well-named. They have a scraggly shell, but are fudgy and delicious on the inside. I tested some of the dough with almonds and used hazelnuts for the rest. The almond chunks weren’t that great, but the hazelnuts were excellent, so stick with those. Walnuts or pecans might work as well, but I don’t recommend almonds here. Oh, and I left out the pistachios completely.
Mine came out a little thicker than Food & Wine’s. I think it’s because I baked them on an insulated cookie sheet, but am not sure. They were good that way.
Cherry-Nut Mudslides Recipes
Cherry-Nut Mudslides (Based on JT recipe in Food & Wine)
½ pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
⅓ cup all purpose flour, spooned & leveled (1 ½ oz)
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon plus ⅛ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 ½ large eggs (that’s 2 eggs, plus about 2 tablespoons beaten egg)
1 ¼ cup bittersweet chocolate chips or use a half pound chopped chocolate
¾ cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped, skins removed
⅓ cup chopped dried cherries (more or less)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a metal bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt the ½ pound of the bittersweet chocolate with all of the unsweetened chocolate. Let cool.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the sugar until sandy. Beat in the eggs, then beat in the cooled melted chocolate. Add the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until it is absorbed. Fold in the chocolate chips, nuts and dried cherries. Note: Make sure the dough is cool before you add the chocolate chips. It for some reason it’s too soft, let it stand for a few minutes or chill a bit.
For each cookie, scoop up 2 tablespoons of dough and shape into balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 ½ inches apart, Bake one sheet at a time for 15 minutes or just until the tops are lightly cracked; Transfer the sheets to racks to cool slightly, then transfer the cookies to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Yield – I got about 24 cookies, so I guess mine were a little bigger than F&W’s
Julie says
I saw that recipe and thought the same thing about the amount of chocolate--holy jeez! I also saw a brownie recipe that may be in that same issue (or another of the jillion mags I have laying around) that called for a whole pound. It's not necessarily the calories, it's the cash. The cookies look great, and since they're JT, I'm sure they are.
Jenn's Baking Chamber says
Those look good! I love chocolate and cherry combination's! I also can't wait to try the other recipes that you posted from food and wine! they all looked so good.
Kiersten says
Chocolate, cherrries and hazelnuts...how delicious. These cookies sound so decadent.
Joanna says
i think the picture looks great! i'd eat them off notebook paper haha
the pistachios would be delicious in there. i love those with dried cherries. and you're right- this is one expensive cookie!!!
have you ever seen the world's most expensive sundae? i saw it on the news a few years ago and i really wanna try it!
http://www.dailyolive.com/goldenopulencenord.jpg
snooky doodle says
Nice cookies. yummy
Top Chefs says
These cookies look great. I also read this recipe on Food and wine. I need to try this one.
Thanks
Alice
Top Chefs says
Good recipe, I also saw the same recipe on Food and wine. I need to try out this one.
Thanks for posting.
Alice
clumbsycookie says
Wow that's a lot of chocolate for 1 cookie, or 24 as it's the case. I was going to say the same thing as Emiline, I like your serving "plate"!
melissa says
I know -- I saw the recipe before and balked at the 1 lb. of chocolate. I'm glad you made it and we could see how big they are and how many you were able to make with a half recipe!
Carrie says
These look great!
Anna - when you buy "good" chocolate," for a recipe like this one, what kind do you buy?
Katrina says
Yum. I told you of those you spotlighted that these looked good! 😉
Emiline says
I think this is a great-looking cookie!
I like that you served it on notebook paper.
Lisa Ernst says
Incredible! So much chocolate and so little flour. I can see why these are expensive to make. But I definitely plan on making these during the holidays, they just look too good to pass up.
VeggieGirl says
Excellent, indeed!