CAROLYN'S MORSELS (CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES) adapted half batch

Carolyn Hayes, Elba, New York, says this is her own cookie that she adapted from a secret recipe. It took her two weeks to perfect it -- and according to Carolyn, hers is better. This recipe is eerily like Jacques Torres' Secret Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, and the texture of the cookie is similar. I halved the recipe and made some changes. I don't know if the baking temperature listed in the recipe was a mistake, but 325F didn't work for me. I changed it to 350F and got better results. Most of my other changes reflect the sign of the times -- with the present price of groceries, I'm trying to bake with what's on hand instead of buying new ingredients. So, with that in mind, I finally used up the rest of my dried cherries that were soaking in creme de cocoa, along with some white chocolate chips and part of a Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar. I also got to use some more of the self-rising flour (it's now down to 1/2 bag), and some whole wheat flour. So thanks to American Profile for printing this recipe which I'm going to give a rating of 8 out 10. My cookies didn't come out as puffy as Carolyn's did in the magazine photo, (probably because I didn't chill the dough) but they still are sturdy and quite good, especially with those dried drunken cherries. hic

Carolyn's Morsels (Chocolate Chip Cookies) adapted half batch
Rating: 8 out of 10
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup lite brown sugar (I used 1/2 cup white sugar + 1 tsp. molasses + 1/2 tsp. stevia)
1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp. coffee syrup (1 Tbsp.coffee powder dissolved in 3 Tbsp. coffee brandy; measure 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup toasted chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
3/4 cup dried cherries soaked in creme de cocoa overnight or longer
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (Use Sam's Choice in Wal-Mart for good quality, low price)
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or chunks (I used Hershey's bar with almonds)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flours, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. No need to get the mixer out -- in large bowl, whisk softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla by hand until smooth and well mixed. Add egg and coffee syrup and whisk again till very smooth. Stir in flour mixture and remaining ingredients, mixing only till just combined. Chill 1 hour or till dough is firm. (I would definitely not skip the chilling of the dough. I did for the first batch, and I saw a difference in the second batch that had been chilled about 20 minutes. The cookies were higher and more solid after chilling.) Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking pans. Bake 10-12 minutes, until just lightly browned on the edges. Cool on wire racks. Yield: about 20 cookies