Cut the cherries into quartersNo need to wash as they won't be sinking
Using a stand mixer, hand mixer or food processor: Put all the ingredients in, except the chocolate and cherries, and blitz until you have a ball of dough(Brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, butter, egg, almond extract)
Using a mixer on very slow (or by hand), mix in the chocolate polka dots and cherries with a spoon
Don't blitz the cherries and chocolate - mix by hand
Put your ball of dough in a plastic box with lid and chill in the fridge for about an hourYou can leave it overnight if necessary.
To cook the Chocolate Cherry Cookies:
Set the oven to 190°C/ 170°C fan/ gas mark 5/ 375°F
Pinch dough from the ball and roll into a small ball in your handsUse about the size of a heaped teaspoonful. You will make 18-20 cookies
Make the balls slightly taller than wide and slightly flatten on top. Put on the baking sheet leaving plenty of space between
Cook for 12-15 minutes until barely beginning to brown at the edges. Check after 12 minutes – they will continue to cook out of the oven
Remove from the oven and leave on the baking sheet for 10 minutes
Transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.