Indulgent cookies with a cherry cream cheese filling.

Ingredients

• For cookies:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• ¼ cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup Chukar® Tart Cherries, lightly sweetened
  
  
• For filling:
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup Chukar® Sour Cherry Preserves

Directions

For cookies:
Mix all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and oats in a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter, shortening, sugar, and honey at medium speed for about 2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the bowl.
On low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture form a soft dough. Remove from mixer. Fold in chocolate chips and cherries by hand.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two baking sheets.
Scoop 1-inch balls of dough and place on baking sheets, spacing balls 3 inches apart. Use your hand to slightly flatten each ball. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until evenly browned. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

For filling:
Thoroughly mix cream cheese and preserves in a bowl.

To assemble:
Invert half of the cookies so that the flat side is facing up. Add a dollop of filling onto each cookie. Top with one of the remaining cookies, flat side down.