Cherry-Vanilla Bean Cookies

I don’t have anything crazy for you today – just some simple cookies.  They were very delicious and blog-worthy, though.  Cherry-Vanilla Bean Cookies.  Isn’t that a good name for a cookie? 

These are crisp, yet soft, slightly chewy and full of fun ingredients: fresh vanilla bean seeds, dried cherries, chopped toasted pecans, and white chocolate chips. 

I love the flavor combination, I love the name, I’m giving these five stars on the cookie rating system.

I have a distant cousin and her name is Cherry-Marie.  I’ve never met her before, but I did hear her name mentioned occasionally when I was growing up.  Every time I’d hear it, I’d wish my name was Cherry. 

I also wished my name was Victoria, Samantha, Jasmine, and Claudia when I was a kid. 
What did you wish your name was?  Or was I the only one who did that?  I was definitely inspired by American Girl and Babysitters Club books…

Time to go to work!  Have a good day!

Cherry-Vanilla Bean Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 a vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
1 large egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds, toasted
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. 
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, sugar and vanilla bean seeds until creamy - about 1 minute.  Beat in egg, sour cream, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined - about 1 minutes.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour, cherries, nuts and white chocolate chips until just incorporated. 

Place heaping tablespoons full of dough onto cookie sheets.  Bake 12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen big cookies