Soft chewy sweet cherry chocolate chip cookies that are bursting with flavor in each bite. Chocolate-covered cherry lovers will do backflips over these sweet cookies. Homemade cherry cookies made from scratch with cherry juice, diced maraschino cherries, chocolate chips, and more.
This is a classic flavor pairing of chocolate and cherry, that will truly win over young and old. Give this cookie recipe a try and serve it up all year round. Whether it is for a holiday party, birthday event, or and gift to friends and family.
Here are a few more sweet cookie recipes for you to try out. Give my cherry brownie bombs a try, or this easy cherry cake with vanilla buttercream, or whip up these banging cherry bars.
Reasons To Try These Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Made-from-scratch cookie recipe that is decadent.
- You will use real maraschino cherries and cherry juice for the optimal flavor of these cookies.
- Great for parties, family gatherings, or a mid-week dessert after dinner.
- These are a freezer-friendly cookie so you can make these up ahead of time.
Ingredients
- Butter – For the best flavor of the cookies reach for real butter, not margarine. Then you will use unsalted. If you opt for salted butter then do not add the salt to the butter in the cookie recipe.
- Sugar -Brown sugar and granulated sugar are both used for this recipe. It is going to sweeten the cookies perfectly.
- Egg – The egg is going to bind the cookie dough together perfectly.
- Vanilla – A splash of vanilla is going to develop the sweetness of the cookies altogether.
- Cherries – Maraschino cherries and juice are both used for this cookie.
- Food Coloring – I used pink food coloring for this recipe. It is going to color the cookies beautifully.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is going to thicken the cookie dough and also help create the perfect texture.
- Salt – Salt is used for adding flavors to the cookie dough.
- Chocolate Chips – You will mix in the semi-sweet chocolate chips for the perfect burst of chocolate in each bite.
Can I use dried cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
You will find that dried cherries can be used, but it will lack in flavor the way the maraschino cherries would. You are using the juice of the cherries as well. So if you use dried cranberries, make sure to still add cherry juice, to enhance the flavor.
Can I use frozen cherries or fresh cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
Yes, real cherries can be used in replace of maraschinos. Maraschino cherries are a sweeter cherry whereas fresh can sometimes offer a sour or bitter twist if they are not super sweet. Feel free to swap, just add some cherry juice to enhance the flavor.
What if I don’t use maraschino cherries?
Reach for grenadine cherry juice in replace of maraschino cherry juice. It is going to mimic the same sweetness to the cookies as you would originally get with the juice.
Storing Your Cookies
These cookies can be stored in an airtight container. The cookies can be stored for up to 5 days at room temperature in a proper container.
Or if you want you can freeze the cookies for around 3-4 months. Just place them in a freezer bag or a freeze-safe container. Thaw on the counter or eat straight from the freezer.
Tips for Making Cookies
Quality Ingredients
You will want to use quality ingredients as it is going to provide incredible flavor to the cookies. This is a sweet and flavorful cookie for sure.
Softened Butter
Make sure your butter is softened as it is going to cream together nicely with the other ingredients. If you do not allow the butter to soften the texture is going to be off. Now, also, make sure that you do not melt the butter as it will make the cookie dough too soft.
Do Not Overmix The Cookie Dough
I have to say a big issue is overmixing cookie dough. Make sure you do not overmix the dough. If you do it can cause the cookie dough to become dense and heavy, and it will take away from soft baked cookies.
These are perfect to add to your cookie tray for the holidays or even for Valentines day for your loved ones!
Cookie Scoops
Make sure to use a cookie scoop as you are going to get evenly shaped cookies that all bake up evenly. The other thing is using a cookie scoop allows for evenly shaped cookies. I find this is the best method for creating the best-shaped cookies.
Allow The Cookies To Cool
You will also find that allowing the cookies to cool completely is a must. If you don’t let the cookies cool fully before you place them in a sealed container you will create condensation in a container. Allow them to cool fully and then store the cookies.
Add Extra Cherries and Chocolate on Top of Cookies
Placing a few more chocolate chips and cherries on top of each cookie before you bake it in the oven is going to show studded fruit and chocolate as it will showcase the cookies even more.
More Dessert Ideas
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice from jar
- Pink gel food coloring
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to mix the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Lower electric mixer speed to low. Add the cherry juice and pink gel coloring and mix until fully distributed. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until fully combined.
- Add 1 ½ cup of the flour mixture to the large bowl and mix on low speed until well mixed. The dough should be slightly sticky from the cherry syrup, but easy enough to handle to roll dough balls. Add up to an additional ½ cup of flour if needed to be able to handle the dough.
- Use a spoon or spatula to stir in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
- Using a 2 Tablespoon cookie scoop, form dough balls and place on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are opaque and the edges begin to turn golden brown.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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