Berrylicious Cookies

My XXX cookies influenced this recipe. Why "XXX"? Simple...because I use three forms of fruit: fresh, dried, and cooked. And because they taste so good it's obscene. (Oh...and you can feel good about eating these because they're eggless.)

The blackberries and raspberries cooked with lemon juice, milk, sugar, and vanilla have a fresh, bright flavor that's the perfect background for the sweetness of the fresh and dried fruit. The white chocolate chips provide richness.

I didn't have Nilla Wafers--which the other XXX recipes use--on hand, so I improvised and used Cheerios cereal instead. I gotta pat myself on the back for that piece of quick thinking because the cookies tasted delicious.

A final roll in turbinado sugar before baking gives the cookies a crunchy exterior that contrasts with the moist, chewy interior.

The batch I brought to my Wednesday night supper club vanished, so be sure to set aside some of these guys. They will disappear.

Makes 3 dozen cookies. (To see this recipe in process, check out Picturing Berrylicious Cookies.)

Creamables	1 stick butter 1 cup dark brown sugar
Wet Ingredients	2/3 cup sliced fresh blackberries 2/3 cup sliced fresh raspberries 3 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon white sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dry Ingredients	2 1/2 cups oatmeal 1 cup finely ground Cheerios cereal 3/4 cup flour 3/4 cup dried berries 1/3 cup sliced fresh blackberries 1/3 cup sliced fresh raspberries 1/2 cup white chocolate chips 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping	turbinado sugar

1. In a small saucepan, heat blackberries, raspberries, milk, lemon juice, vanilla, and white sugar over medium high heat. Stir with a wooden spoon, crushing the blueberries until the the mixture is smooth and evenly red.
2. Remove berry mixture from the heat and set aside to cool until Step 5.
3. Preheat oven to 350º.
4. In your Kitchen Aid or a large mixing bowl, cream together the creamables.
5. Add the combined wet ingredients to the creamables. Mix together until well incorporated.
6. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold together until evenly distributed.
7. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the combined creamables and wet ingredients. Mix until evenly combined.
8. Refrigerate the dough for about 20 minutes to firm up.
   
9. Shape dough into balls--about 2 tablespoons each.
10. Roll each cookie dough ball in turbinado sugar.
    
11. Place the sugared dough balls about 2 inches apart on Silpat- or parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
12. Bake at 350º for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and the tops are firm to the touch. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let stand for 2 minutes. Then place cookies on wire racks to cool.