Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies

This is one of my all time favorite recipes! I love the combination of chocolate and cherry. Add the oatmeal and it is delicious. I usually use dark chocolate chips. People often request that I bring these cookies to parties and pitch-ins.

We needed something sweet but are trying to eat a little healthier and decided to make these. What a great decision! The only thing I changed was to decrease the brown sugar to 2/3 cups and substitute 1 small container of applesauce for half (3 tbsp) of the butter and they are delicious and even healthier!

I am a big fan of this recipe! I always use reduced sugar craisins because I like the tartness of them and they are easier to find (and less expensive) than dried cherries.

For those of you struggling with the batter, I pop the bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes and that makes it much easier to scoop and get on the cookie sheet without an enormous sticky mess.

These are one of my all-time favs!

Very loose mixture, not a batter. Hard to form, even using tbsp measuring spoon. Overall very tasty, I ended up with about 40 cookies. No fiber or sugar in the nutritional values provided??

Added about 20% more dark chocolate chips

Made these, toll house chocolate chip and a Times best chocolate chip recipe night before Election Day to distribute to neighbors and relieve tension.

These were the most popular by far and the healthiest

Delicious!!

Great cookie for my whole family...husband has heart issues, I need low sodium, and son is allergic to tree nuts & peanuts (most of the heart healthy recipient use peanut butter or walnuts to replace oil.). Incredibly easy, too. I found some dried oranges at Trader Joe's and made a batch with oranges....just as good as the cherry recipe.

This has become one of my favorite cookies as well as a favorite cookie of family and friends. They all want the recipe.  Sometimes I use cranberries, sometimes the cherries and sometimes mixed fruit.  I usually use only 1/2 to 2/3 cup of the fruit instead of a cup.

I haven't made these yet, but was trying to figure out the serving size. It has all the nutrient values listed per serving but doesn't say what's the actual serving size

Ocean Spray makes cherry-flavored dried cranberries. I often use them in recipes that call for cherries. You can't even tell they're cranberries!

good, a little hard to drop and form on cookies sheet, lots of filler but not much "glue".  can't figure out the "hear smart" part, butter and egg?!!! 

Following the recipe exactly as written and using a scale to weigh ingredients, these come out perfectly with no additions or alterations. The cookies are really delicious. I have made these numerous times, always with great consistent results.

worthy of five ---- I made it slightly different from the written recipe -I added 1/2 cup chopped walnuts--( I have my own tree) and reduced the dried cherries to 1/2 cup, which I cut up smaller and I used 2/3 cups of hi protein white flour-- perfect and delicious. walmart does have true value dried cherries -- they are very good and less$ -- I use in my scones too.

These are great. I made them even easier by turning them into a bar cookie. Press the batter into a parchment-lined 13"X9" pan and baked at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Cut when still slightly warm.

I knew they were going to be good because the batter tasted good. I just had one out of the oven and it was delish ! I followed recipe exactly.

My mom and I tried a batch together and now they are our favorite cookie. We double and triple the recipe and freeze some, although they don't seem to stay in the freezer long! The only downside is that they are expensive to make - shopping at my local Kroger store, using store brands when available, they cost me almost $6 a batch. Most of that is the dried cherries, which cost between $3.49 and $4.00 for six ounces. Someone mentioned Trader Joe's as their source for the cherries; we don't have one but there is a town an hour away that I visit fairly often, so I may check out their prices. Delicious!

DELICIOUS-and if you like to eat cookie batter...well...smile. The only thing I will change next time is to add 1/2 cup of the cherries. I am high altitude & a dry environment so I think less cherries will help hold the batter together a bit better BUT it does taste delicious with 1 cup of cherries-MBM

These cookies are awesome and will go into my "permanent rotation." : ) I used a bittersweet Ghirardelli bar and dried cherries from TJ's (they weren't too big and added a nice punch of flavor). I also shared these with a friend who immediately asked for the recipe. Bonus: easy and fast to make. Melting the butter is the hardest part. Enjoy!

This was absolutely delicious. They have tons of coupons for these recipes and tons of others at http://PrintableCouponsandDeals.com Seriously, Check 'enm out.

Semisweet chocolate chips, works well than bittersweet chocolate. You can also, add this recipe, to make these cookies for valentine's day.

Excellent! I substituted 6 Tbsp. applesauce for the butter, 1/4 c. egg-beater for the large egg, and 3/4 c. Splenda brown sugar for the brown sugar. They were delicious and even healthier than the original recipe!

Good cookie -- I'd make them again. I didn't have any problems with cherries or chocolate left over in the bowl or with the dough not coming together. I didn't have whole wheat flour, so I just used white flour. Chopped the cherries in about half and used bittersweet chocolate chips. I froze half the dough in 1 T. balls & stored them in a ziplock until I was ready for another small batch.

These definitely need the teaspoon of milk to make the dough workable. Once they're baked up, though, they are great! Not the best chocolate chip cookies I have tasted, but still incredibly tasty! (I used dried cranberries instead of dried cherries, as that's what I had, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T.)

Just made these. Added the 1tsp of milk as suggested and they are great. Moist, chewy rich in flavor. Definitely a keeper!

wow i just made these and they are incredible! I added dark chocolate chips rather than the chopped chocolate, just because its easier, and swapped cherries for dried cranberries. These are great because they are 1/2 of the calories of other recipes. For people that are having trouble with the dough not coming together, just add a teaspoon of milk.

Awesome cookies and healthy. Love them! Very favorable and moist. Great combo of cherries, chocolate, and oats

I made this recipe over the weekend and I had my doubts but the dough held itself together well and the flavor is wonderful. The only thing was I didn't have unsalted butter and I definitely will use that next time. I also didn't use two different flours, I only used whole wheat. I used a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop and the batch made 38 nice sized cookies. Will definitely be making these again!

Made them many of times, sure winner @ the office. I add 1/4 cup more cherries. The cherries help balance it.

I haven't tried these cookies yet (they're in the oven now), but the recipe is poorly conceived. The "dough" never congealed, even though I followed the recipe exactly. I'm also going to have to throw away tons of cherries and chocolate that never attached to the dough since they've been in contact with raw egg. I won't be making these again, even if they taste good, because I hate wasting expensive ingredients.

Amazing cookies!! They are so yummy and really filling, so you can only eat a couple(which is good for people with a sweet tooth like me). I didn't use the white flour, only whole wheat, I also swapped dark chocolate and dried cranberries. The cookies were a great size and 12 minutes was perfect(I use dark pans, so I dropped the temp to 325). I will definitely make these again, so easy and delicious.

Yes, just one more five star rating to confirm these cookies are superb. Use high quality chocolate to make the most out of these. One note, the portions are really small...more like a cookie bite than my definition of a cookie. But a great treat!

Really EXCELLENT cookie. I really liked the texture....nice and chewy. Followed the recipe exactly as written. This is a keeper for sure!

These were AWESOME!! I made them for my church Primary class of 6 and 7 year olds and they loved them and said they were the best cookies ever. I thought so too and am so glad that they are whole-grain and healthy! You cannot even tell!

Very good! Followed exactly.

very good!

These are delicious. I doubled the recipe to take on a ski trip with 4 teenagers. I found out I only had 1 cup of cherries after I'd already mixed most of the ingredients together. Luckily I had a 1/2 cup each of Craisins and dried blueberries in the pantry to toss in the dough. These are hearty, healthy, and scrumptious cookies.

Delicious and so easy! I added a handful of chopped pecans too. Made these for my inlaws tonight - threw all the ingredients together (6 mins or less) while dinner was simmering and cooked them while we were eating. Served warm right after dinner and they were a hit! Can't wait to make them with dates and coconut instead of chocolate and cherry!

Best. Cookie. Ever. I don't make cookies very often, but these are so quick and easy that I've made them twice this month (so far!). I love the approach of melting the butter and sugar together, really helps create a chewy cookie!

I made a double batch and still barely got any to myself before my roommates ate them up! I was only about to get around 50 with a double batch so I think I made them too big. The dough was very sticky; next time I'll try freezing it before baking. Only changes I made were using all whole wheat flour (still delicious) and not chopping the cherries. Super easy to make and even easier to eat! After a week being in a tupperware container in my dorm, they are still nice and chewy. I love how healthy they are, and no one believes me ;) These have definitely become my new favorite cookies.

LOVE! This recipe is similiar to my fav Martha Stwart one but SO much better for you and JUST AS YUMMY! Even the hubby loved them. Followed the recipe exactly, used a Ghirardelli 70% cocoa bar and baked on parchment. Only baked them for 10-11 minutes. These are totally AWESOME!

delicious! I doubled the recipe the first time I made it and LOVED them. They are chewy right out of the oven, and dont crisp up for a few days. will make again and again! dried cherries are so much better then dried cranberries!!

I enjoyed these cookies a lot. I would definitely make them again but add less chocolate and dried cherries. I had a lot of left over chocolate chips and cherries in the bowl. It made almost 30 cookies but I made the first batch a bit smaller than the second. I used Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips which turned out good. I used parchment paper and they didn't burn. They have a nice chewy and soft interior and crisp exterior. The baking time was way too long though. I baked them for about 9 minutes and that was perfect. I would suggest a tiny sprinkle of sea salt on top of the cookie before it's baked, even though I didn't try that this time, I would try it next time.

Wonderful flavor but lack a little "substance."

Amazing cookies. I used dried bing cherries from Trader Joes- inexpensive and delicious.

These cookies are fantastic!! Kids and hubbie all loved them. To keep them from spreading too thin in the oven and being wafer-like, I froze the dough for about 5 minutes before putting on the cookie sheet. It yielded thicker, more cookie-like results. Yum!!

I loved this cookie! I used dried cranberries instead of cherries.

I rated this recipe four stars instead of five because of how delicate the cookie is. I wanted to take these to a potluck and many of them fell apart in transit. However they did receive rave reviews for their taste which was definitely better once they cooled. I loved the combination of chocolate and cherries, but I'd like to find a heartier cookie base to put it in. I will definitely play around with this one.

Talk about a delicious cookie without the guilt! I only got 25 cookies from the recipe, so I'd like to double it. It didn't take me long to put them together, bake them, and clean the kitchen... less than an hour! GREAT RECIPE!

Very reliable, good recipe. Only change I made is to add a 1/4 - 1/2 cup roasted pecans. So good!!

easy & excellent. I also used cranberries & macadamia nuts.

Just ate my first one straight out of the oven and CAN'T believe they are lower fat. AMAZING!

These cookies are the bomb(which means they're good; really good)and good for you too...can't go wrong with this recipe!

Made with Ghiradelli chocolate chips. Best ever. I don't chop the cherries either, and it is a well loved cookie at home and work.

Amazing! The darker chocolate you use, the better! Totally not greasy too! :)

Delish! I agree with other reviewers that this is one of the few cookie recipes that actually makes as many as it says. Watch the cook time though - the first batch burned on the bottom so I cooked the second batch only 10 minutes. I doubled the vanilla, otherwise followed the recipe. I would note that this is an "adult" cookie - I doubt kids would like. Next time I think I will use dark chocolate chips for better distribution of the chocolate.

Good cookie, but there are too many other outstanding (and still healthy) recipes to repeat this one.

This cookies were fantastic and were so easy to make. The only change I made was that I used parchment paper instead of cooking spray. This is the only recipe that came out with the exact baking time and amount of cookies that it said it would. I will be making these over and over! They were enjoyed by many! Thanks for the great recipe!

Made these yesterday for a Super Bowl party. I followed the recipe exactly, and they came out great! The whole plate disappeared before the end of the night, and they tasted so good no one could believe they were "heart smart." These were simple to put together and very tasty. I will definitely make these again.

These cookies were amazing. Made a double recipe and was very glad that I did!

Very good yet healthy cookie. We chopped the cherries into halves and fourths, used dark chocolate chips and added 1/4 cup of ground flaxseed. Unexpected guests showed up just as we took them out of the oven and they LOVED them. Planning to make another batch today!

Awesome recipe! The cookies are lucky to have made it to the oven, the dough was that delish! The only thing I would do differently is to double, triple, quad the recipe so there would be MORE. Thank you so much for sharing this! Nothing I like better than cookies, and if they are good for your heart, fab!

Lovely cookies! I followed the recipe exactly except i used crasins instead of cherries b/c thats all I had on hand. My husband looked at me funny when i was making them b/c we are not big chocolate people but these have converted us!! Will use all whole wheat next time. Like another review wrote it did get a little messy when I used the mixer ;)

I followed the recipe exactly. These cookies satisfied my cravings, plus they have whole wheat flour and old fashioned rolled oats, so they're filling and pretty good for you - or at least not as bad as they could be! They taste like a combination of chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin, but with dried cherries for an unexpected twist. Soooo good!

I think I would have liked these more if I had chopped the cherries up into tiny pieces, and maybe added less of them. I felt like I couldn't taste enough of the oatmeal and chocolate because the cherries were overpowering. Good flavor. I would consider making it again if I could alter the ingredients just a little.

Deeelish! Made a batch the other night (only got about 20 cookies as i made them bigger) and they flew off the plate! So i made another batch last night Texture and flavor make them the best oatmeal cookies i've ever had! I used Ghiradelli Dark Choc bits with the dried cherries and they were soft and chewy. No wonder she has to make thousands at a time! Next time i might try all whole wheat flour but otherwise they came out perfect.

These cookies are wonderful! I made them exactly as the recipe states and they couldn't be more perfect! I'll definitely be putting these in regular rotation.

I love oatmeal cookies, but am not a big fan of raisins, so I was very interested in this cookie. I had to use white whole wheat flour and semi-sweet chocolate, but these turned out really good. Definitely easy to make - quick and yummy!

I thought the cookies were great. I added cranberries in with the cherries because I didn't have enough cherries. Texture is perfect too! I baked them for 9 to 10 minutes.

Despite the good reveiws, I thought these might be disappointing or too "healthy" tasting (dry, bland, ect.) However, I was pleasantly surprised! These do not taste like a low fat, healthy cookie at all. They just taste like a good chocolate chip oatmeal cookie and the cherries add a nice texture and flavor. I used dark brown sugar instead of light and used semisweet chips (since that's what I had in the house). I think darker chocolate would be better next time. These only took about 10 minutes in my oven, so keep an eye on them! I made these a little larger than 1 TBSP in size and ended up with 25.

The nutritional info for these cookies was impressive, but I found that they did not have much flavor. The texture was great though, and the family seemed to like them. Next time, I will add a tsp of cinnamon.

I loved them.. couldn't stop eating them. I love Chocolate and Cherries and Oatmeal... and always looking for healthy cooking.. I have one concern. I live in Colorado (high altitude). They were a bit dry and didn't spread on the sheet. Any suggestions? This didn't stop me from almost eating the whole batch..

I made these today & can't stop eating them. They are hearty and satisfying & I wouldn't change a thing! They remind me of the TLC boxed Oatmeal Chocolate cookies - which I apparently don't need to buy ever again since I can make them! The cherry flavor was very subtle but adds to the chewy texture. If you aren't a fan of cherries, I'm sure these would be great with dried cranberries or even raisins.

Loved these, and they did not last long in my house! I used semisweet chips, but will try with bittersweet chocolate next time. The cherries add a nice element. I will be making these frequently, since it's so easy to keep the ingredients on hand.

These are so good! I was intrigued to try the recipe because of the tart cherries and the bittersweet chocolate as I'm not a huge fan of super-sweet treats. I thought I had whole wheat flour but I was out of it so had to use only the all-purpose white flour (I used 98g total). Taste delicious but will definitely make them again using the whole wheat flour so I can compare (plus, it makes them healthier). I used a size 40 cookie scoop (1.5 tbsp) so I only got 21 cookies, which is what I expected using the larger scoop. Twelve minutes in the oven was perfect. Yum, yum!

Delicious cookies! Recipe was easy to follow. Minor challenge using the mixer - the dough turns quite thick and stuck to the beaters. Definitely stick to a level tablespoon for spooning the dough onto the cookie sheets to get 30 total. Looking forward to serving these with vanilla ice cream to our guests at tonight's dinner.