Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. You can melt the dark chocolate with the oil in a double broiler, but I use the lazy method: Heat the chocolate and oil in a medium-sized bowl in the microwave, on high for 60 seconds. Remove and whisk the chocolate vigorously. If the chocolate isn’t quite melted, zap it for another 15 seconds, and whisk again, until smooth.
3. Let the chocolate cool, if needed, for a couple of minutes, then whisk in the egg, sugar, flour, starch, baking powder, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Stir in the chips or chunks, cherries, and almonds.
5. If the mixture is still a little thin, let it cool for another 5 minutes. It continues to thicken as it cools. You don’t want it to get too thick, just thick enough to scoop and so that it doesn’t run all over the baking sheet.
6. Scoop the dough by the tablespoonful (I literally used a tablespoon measuring spoon), into mounds on your prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are firm and the tops lose most of their shine and look cracked.
8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack.