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These maraschino cherry chocolate chip cookies always bring the wow factor to any gathering or special occasion. What’s even better? They take just 10 minutes to prep and have a perfect pink color for a beautiful display.
These cookies are SO GOOD! I used cherry juice instead of almond extract and mini white chocolate chips, and made them extra big- 12 cookies a batch. Definitely making these again, boyfriend was obsessed too!
-Jenna
Cherry Cookies
I believe I have mentioned this before, whenever it’s one of my nieces or nephews birthdays, they get to pick what kind of cookie I make and mail to them. Pretty lucky, huh?!
Well one of my nieces doesn’t like chocolate… I know, I don’t understand – I live off chocolate. So I was giving her a few options of cookies I could make and one of the options was maraschino cherry cookies.
I got to work and made five test batches! Some of the batches were pretty funny looking – working with an add in like maraschino cherries can be hard because they have so much moisture. But I finally got the recipe just right!
The ones I mailed her didn’t have chocolate chips so you can definitely make these cherry cookies without the chips, but for us chocolate lovers, more chocolate the better!
The combination of maraschino cherries and chocolate chips reminds me of this delicious cherry cordial ice cream that the ice cream shop near our house has. I love the taste of cherry ice cream, especially if there’s chocolate!
The cherry flavor is on point. These pink cookies would also be fun for baby showers – especially for a baby girl!
We’ve also add these cookies to our cookie trays during the holidays. And we love gifting this easy recipe for valentine’s day.
Ingredients for Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions for making Cherry Cookies.
- unsalted butter – Let the butter come to room temperature.
- brown sugar – I recommend using light brown sugar for this recipe.
- granulated sugar
- large eggs
- vanilla extract
- almond extract
- pink gel food coloring – I recommend AmeriColor brand.
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- cornstarch
- maraschino cherries – Well drained & finely chopped.
- semi-sweet chocolate chips – You can substitute or dark, milk or white chocolate chips.
I love the flavor the 1/8 teaspoon almond extract adds to this cookie recipe. Cherry-almond cookies were a match made in heaven!
How to Make Cherry Cookies
- In a large bowl beat the softened butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer or in a stand mixer for 1 minute, or until combined.
- Add in the egg and extracts, beat again.
- Gel food coloring. Add in a small amount of pink gel food coloring and mix.
- Add dry ingredients. In separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing by hand with a spatula.
- Add-ins. Add in the finely chopped cherries and chocolate chips, mix by hand until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Scoop. Use a cookie scoop to drop dough balls onto a silicone lined baking sheet or parchment paper. Press additional cherries and chocolate chips into the outside of the dough balls.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Be sure not to over bake or the cookies will loose their pink color and turn brown.
- Cool. Allow the cookies to cool to the touch on the baking sheet (about 15 minutes) then move them to a wire rack.
Cherry Cookie Baking Time
For the cherry chocolate cookies in the photos, the dough balls were about 3 heaping tablespoons, so that’s a large cookie!
I baked those for 14-16 minutes – just until the edge of the cookie would begin to turn golden. The result is a soft and chewy cherry chocolate chip cookie!
If you make smaller dough balls, you should reduce the baking time otherwise the cookies will be over done.
Time Required for Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- 10 minutes to make the cookie dough
- 10-12 minutes to bake the cookies
- 15 minutes to cool the cookies
Gluten Free Cherry Cookies
I have made these cookies multiple times with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour with great success.
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Tips
Here are some tips and hints for perfect cherry cookies.
Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.
You need 3/4 cup chopped & drained maraschino cherries. Plus an extra 2 tablespoons or so for garnish. 3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries is about half a 16 oz jar.
Be sure to drain the cherries well. Once you drained off the juice, put the cherries on a few paper towels and let the extra maraschino cherry juice soak up.
Once the cherries have been drained, finely chop them.
If you want the tops of your cookies to look loaded with cherries & chocolate chips like the ones you see in the photos, be sure to add additional cherries and chocolate chips to the outside of the dough balls before baking the cookies.
Can you freeze maraschino cherry cookies?
Maraschino cherry cookies freeze beautifully! Wrap them in individual portions with plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container or freezer bag with parchment between the layers to keep them from sticking.
Freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
In the mood for more sweets? Learn how to add crumb topping to any muffin or try chocolate pudding pie!
More Recipes From The First Year
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Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups (12 oz bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for garnish
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1¼ cups (267g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp almond extract
- Small amount of pink gel food coloring
- 1 cup drained & finely chopped maraschino cherries, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- It's critical that you measure the flour accurately. Unknowingly adding too much flour will result in dry cookies.The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method. Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it. Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour. Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
- Drain and finely chop the maraschino cherries. Set aside on a paper towel to absorb excess juice.
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. You want this mixture to be fluffy and pale in color.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract, beat for 30 seconds.
- Add in a small amount of pink gel food coloring and mix. I recommend gel food coloring as this will help give the cookies a deep pink color.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed. The dough will be thick.
- Add in the finely chopped cherries and 1 cup of chocolate chips, mix by hand until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Use a cookie scoop to form golf ball sized cookie dough balls, roll into a smooth ball between your hands. Press the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips and additional chopped cherries on the outside of the dough balls. Place about 8 cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat at a time. I recommend only baking 1 cookie sheet at a time for even baking.
- Baking time for regular-sized dough balls (2 tbsp of dough) is approximately 10-13 minutes. Be sure not to over bake or the cookies will loose their pink color and turn brown.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 15 minutes on the baking sheet before removing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Can I double the recipe?
These weren’t too bad but I wish they’d been sweeter and they came out pretty cakey. Not sure how or why they came out that way.
I might make them again and add some sugar and Google why a cookie would come out almost fluffy. I would add more almond extract too as well as more chocolate chips lol
Made them twice. Ain’t no way 1/2 stick of butter and the other wet ingredients provide enough moisture – dough is dry and won’t stick together. The second time I used a bit over 1 stick of butter and they were great.
Be sure to properly measure the flour using the spoon, scoop and level method to prevent adding too much flour.
These turned out wonderful, no problems with the recipe . Including in my Christmas tins and going to make an additional batch. Used the small scoop♥️. Thank you❣️
Super dry and dull favor.
I was so excited to make these for Christmas and followed the recipe exactly. The almond extract came out a little fast so maybe a little more there but not much. A little cherry juice as well. They did not spread out like a normal cookie. They are basically dry balls of cake. They are brown after 13 min. I did only have regular food dye but was hoping i could take them out before they turned brown, i think the brown sugar can only be offset by your gel food coloring. I can’t explain how badly they turned out its really frustrating to throw out a whole batch the night before Christmas. My sister asked for these, so disappointed. Cookies are more difficult than one would think.
Hi Sara! How did you measure the flour?
How to Properly Measure Flour
The most accurate way to measure flour is to use a kitchen scale, weighing it in grams.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, follow this method.
• Aerate the flour with a whisk or spoon. Flour becomes heavy and compact as it sits. Aerating is the same as fluffing the flour, but not the same as sifting it. Do not sift the flour unless the recipe specifically calls for it.
• Use a spoon to sprinkle the flour into the measuring cup. Do not tap the cup against the counter, as this will compact the flour.
• Use the back of a butter knife to level off the excess.
Thanks so much for addressing GF so often! I have a daughter that is sugar free and we’ve used your recipes and subbed the sugar with monk fruit and it works great!
There is something terribly wrong with the measurements or instructions in this recipe. The cookies do not melt down while baking. As a person who previously worked as a professional baker, I am quite sure I followed the recipe, and know how to measure correctly. They Still tasted Ok but didn’t melt down as expected. Perhaps chilling the dough may have helped.
Perfect as written! Absolutely delicious beautiful cookies. Perfect for Valentine’s Day 💘
they taste great. im just confused, i doubled the recipe and yet barely made 18, i read over the regular yield multiple times before I doubled it and i read it over again to make sure i didnt miscalculate. did anyone else have this problem? or am i just silly LOL