Recipe at a Glance

A quick overview of what to expect from this fantastic recipe.

* Based on nutrition panel

Why You’ll Adore These Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Nostalgic Cherry Flavor: These cookies evoke cherished childhood memories with their delightful maraschino cherry essence. The almond extract perfectly enhances the cherry, creating an irresistible combination.
• Thick and Chewy Texture: The secret lies in chilling the dough overnight, which results in cookies that are delightfully thick in the center with a slightly crispy edge.
• Beautiful Pink Hue: A touch of red gel food coloring adds a charming cherry-pink color to the cookies, making them visually appealing without looking artificial.
• No Spreading: Thanks to the chilled dough, these cookies maintain their shape during baking, ensuring perfectly round treats every single time.

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Adore These Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Ingredients & Substitutions for Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Creative Variations for Your Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Professional Tips for Perfect Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
• How to Make Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip for Amazing Cookies
• Recipe FAQs: Your Questions Answered
• Recommended Cookie Recipes: Explore More Deliciousness
• Detailed Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
• Before You Go: More Baking Inspiration

Ingredients & Substitutions for Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let’s dive into the key ingredients that make these cookies so special. Plus, we’ll explore some easy substitutions to cater to your preferences and pantry!

• Light Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar contributes to the chewy texture while adding a delicate touch of molasses that perfectly complements the cherries. You can substitute with dark brown sugar for a slightly richer, more pronounced flavor.
• Maraschino Cherries: The star ingredient! Ensure you drain the cherries thoroughly for several hours or ideally overnight before using them. Don’t discard that delicious cherry juice – save it for cocktails or Shirley Temples!
• Mini Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips distribute evenly throughout the dough, ensuring a perfect chocolate-to-cherry ratio in every bite. While you can use regular-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips if that’s what you have on hand, the mini ones are recommended for this recipe.
• Almond Extract: The secret ingredient that enhances the cherry flavor without overpowering it. Don’t skip it! The classic pairing of almond and cherry is truly magical. If you’re a fan of this flavor combination, be sure to check out this cherry almond bundt cake.
• Red Gel Food Coloring: This is entirely optional, but just a tiny amount gives the cookies that signature cherry-pink color, reminiscent of our red velvet cookies.

For detailed information on ingredient quantities, see the full recipe card below.

Creative Variations for Your Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Want to put a personal spin on these cookies? Here are a few exciting variations to try:

• Add Some Crunch: Incorporate toasted chopped almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, or pistachios, similar to these cherry pistachio snowballs! Once cooled, gently fold them into the dough along with the chocolate and cherries.
• Change the Extract: If you’re not a fan of almond extract, vanilla extract is a great alternative. For an intensified cherry flavor, consider using cherry extract.
• Turn Them into Blossoms: Omit the mini chocolate chips and make the cookies smaller. Once they come out of the oven, press a Hershey’s Kiss on top of each cookie. You can create a similar treat with these peanut butter blossoms.

Professional Tips for Perfect Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Follow these professional tips to achieve bakery-worthy results:

• Drain Those Cherries! This is the most important step. Pour the cherries into a sieve several hours, or ideally the night before you plan to bake. The excess moisture needs to drain away to prevent the cookies from spreading and becoming too soft. Drain some extra so you can make these cherry cookies as well!
• Bake from Frozen: The secret to thick, chewy cookies is to bake them once they are completely frozen. You’ll need to add 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Look for that matte finish on top, and you’ll know your cookies are done.
• Chilling is Mandatory: Unlike some cookies, these absolutely need to be chilled. The moisture from the cherries requires the dough to firm up in the refrigerator. A minimum of four hours is needed, but overnight chilling yields even better results.

How to Make Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide

Use these detailed instructions to create the ultimate thick and chewy cherry chocolate chip cookies! Further details and precise measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Drain the Cherries. Several hours or the night before you plan to bake, pour the cherries into a sieve or colander and allow them to drain over a bowl. You can reserve the liquid for cocktails or Shirley Temples. Chop the cherries and return them to the sieve until you’re ready to mix the dough.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and light brown sugar. Mix on medium speed until a paste forms.

Step 4: Add the egg and beat it in thoroughly, scraping down the bowl at least once.

Step 5: Add the almond extract and optional red food coloring.

Step 6: Incorporate Dry Ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the dry ingredients in several additions, never letting the previous addition incorporate fully before adding the next.

Step 7: Add the chopped cherries and mini chocolate chips and mix on low speed until distributed. You could also do this by hand with a silicone spatula.

Step 8: Portion and Chill Dough. Scoop or spoon the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop or approximately the size of a golf ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Step 9: When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F convection (with the fan) or 350°F conventional (no fan).

Step 10: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and roll each piece of dough into a ball. Place on the baking sheets in staggered rows about 2 inches apart.

Step 11: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers have puffed and look matte rather than shiny.

Step 12: Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip for Amazing Cookies

These cookies use a cold butter dough. The cold butter prevents spreading but also makes the dough stiffer, requiring slightly more effort to mix. Resist the temptation to soften the butter too much, or you’ll lose that perfect thick texture!

Recipe FAQs: Your Questions Answered

Recommended Cookie Recipes: Explore More Deliciousness

If you tried this recipe and loved it, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. Your comments make my day!

Detailed Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Rating: 5 from 1 ratings

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

by Chef Lindsey

Cherry chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with sweet maraschino cherries and mini chocolate chips. They’re the perfect balance of fruity and chocolatey with a hint of almond!

Prep: 1 hr

Cook: 14 mins

Chill: 4 hrs

Total: 5 hrs 14 mins

Servings: 13 cookies

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, cool but pliable
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips
• ½ drop gel red food coloring, optional

Instructions

1. Drain the cherries. Several hours or the night before you plan to bake, pour the cherries into a sieve or colander and allow them to drain over a bowl. You can reserve the liquid for cocktails or Shirley Temples. Chop the cherries and return them to the sieve until you’re ready to mix the dough.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and light brown sugar. Mix on medium speed until a paste forms.
4. Add the egg and beat it in thoroughly, scraping down the bowl at least once.
5. Add the almond extract and optional red food coloring.
6. Reduce the mixer speed to low and then add the dry ingredients in several additions, never letting the previous addition incorporate fully before adding the next.
7. Add the chopped cherries and mini chocolate chips and mix on low speed until distributed. You could also do this by hand with a silicone spatula.
8. Scoop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop or approximately the size of a golf ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
9. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F convection (with the fan) or 350°F conventional (no fan).
10. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and roll each piece of dough into a ball. Place on the baking sheets in staggered rows about 2 inches apart.
11. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers have puffed and look matte rather than shiny.
12. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Yield: 13 cookies
• Presentation: Bake the cookies until they are completely matte, otherwise you risk an underbaked cookie.
• Technique: Let the chopped cherries drain overnight to remove excess liquid and ensure you get the perfect cookie.
• Variations: Make with mini white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate!
• Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 187

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Before You Go: More Baking Inspiration

I hope you enjoyed this delightful twist on a classic cookie! Explore our other delectable cookie recipes, such as these chewy sugar cookies or these Nutella cookies! Happy Baking!