These fudgy chocolate cookies are loaded with two types of cherries and lots of chocolate chunks. The perfect cookie for Valentine’s Day or any day that you want to share a sweet treat with the chocolate lovers in your life. The combination of cherries and chocolate is fantastic!
These Chocolate Cherry Cookies are inspired by our Double Chocolate Chip Cookies. The addition of two types of cherries (maraschino cherries and dried cherries) adds a delicious twist that takes this recipe over the top. This recipe has quickly joined our Monster Cookies, Cookies Cups, and Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies as a family favorite.
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Why you’ll love these cookies
Flavor: Chocolate flavor from a combination of cocoa powder and chocolate chips/chunks paired with two types of sweet cherries, maraschino cherries and dried cherries.
Texture: Crisp edges, soft centers, fudginess from chocolate chips, chewiness from dried cherries, and juicy maraschino cherries throughout.
Ease: This cookie dough comes together quickly and easily. The dough is often ready before my oven is even fully preheated!
No chill time: These cookies can be baked right away. No need to chill the dough.
Recipe overview
Start by preparing the cookie dough: beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cornstarch).
Add the mix-ins! Stir in maraschino cherries, dried cherries and chocolate chips or chunks.
Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon balls and bake for 8-10 minutes.
What type of cherries to use
This recipe uses two types of cherries. Maraschino cherries and dried cherries. The maraschino cherries are juicy and sweet and the dried cherries are chewy with an intense cherry flavor. If you’d prefer to only use one or the other, that’s fine, too. I recommend ⅔ cup dried cherries OR ¾ cup maraschino cherries.
Recipe tips
- Butter should be softened but still cool to the touch. If the butter is over-softened (or beginning to melt) the cookies will spread too much in the oven.
- Optional chill time. You can bake these cookies immediately after preparing the dough (as pictured) but for thicker cookies you can refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. This helps the cookies bake evenly and prevents them from spreading too much. Bonus: it also makes cleanup a breeze!
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies.
- Under bake the cookies. The edges of the cookies should be beginning to set but the center should still be underdone. They should be so soft that you cannot pick them up off the baking sheet without them falling apart. They will firm up as they cool on the baking sheet.
How to get perfectly round cookies
Option 1: Immediately after the cookies come out the oven use the back of a spoon to gently push the edges inward to create clean edges and a round shape.
Option 2: Place a round glass or bowl (larger than the cookie) upside down over the top of the cookie and quickly but gently swirl the glass in a circular motion allowing the edges of the cookies to bump up against the insides of the glass. This only works when the cookies are hot, straight from the oven.
Recipe
Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, but still slightly cool
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar, should be fresh and soft
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all purpose flour*
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ⅔ cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
- ⅓ cup sweetened dried cherries
- ½ cup chocolate chips or chunks, plus more for topping, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for several minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the the egg and vanilla extract and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until combined. Stir in maraschino cherries, dried cherries, and chocolate chips.
- Scoop the dough into 2 tablespoon portions and place a couple inches apart on prepared cookie sheets**. Make sure the dough balls are mounded fairly high (not flattened). If desired, press a couple chocolate chips onto the tops of each dough ball. Bake for 8-11 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to set and the center is still underdone. They will look under baked and too soft to pick up, but the cookies will set as they cool. Place the baking sheets on wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Gina says
Love how soft and chewy these are, can’t beat the combination of chocolate and cherries!
Diana says
What a perfect cookie for the upcoming Valentine’s day holiday. I will be making and sharing these with all my loved ones.
Jen says
Can I use all maraschino cherries, or do I have to use the sweetened dried ones also??
Thanks!
Allison says
Hi! You can leave out the dried cherries. Don’t increase the maraschino cherries by too much, you don’t want the dough to be too wet. Enjoy!
Sarah S says
Are dried tart cherries the same in this recipe as sweetened dried cherries? Want to make sure I use the correct kind. Thanks!
Allison says
Yes, that should be fine. They should be sweet enough to eat on their own.
Stefani says
My dad, who is not easily impressed, says this cookie is something you’d get in the mall for $4 and if he did, he wouldn’t be upset he had paid $4 for it!
Allison says
Ha! I love that! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Madison says
Can this dough be frozen before baking? I want to store some in the freezer for later use!!
Allison says
Sure! Just portion out the dough balls and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking. You might need to add a minute or two to the bake time. Enjoy!