Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.

Whisk the flour with the cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined, add the chopped cherries and chocolate chips, stir in well.

Drop by tablespoons onto prepared cookies sheets (a small ice cream scoop works well for this) and bake for 10 – 12 minutes. Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack placed over a piece of parchment or wax paper to finish cooling.

Mix the white chocolate chips and shortening together in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high power for 60 – 90 seconds. Stir until smooth and creamy. Scrape the mixture into a small plastic bag, snip off the very tip of one of the corners and drizzle the white chocolate over the cookies. Top each cookie with a pinch of sugar crystals.