Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

These thick, chewy cherry chocolate chip cookies are packed with sweet maraschino cherries and rich chocolate chips, baking to golden perfection in just 30 minutes.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Squeezing the cherries prevents excess water from dissolving the sugar prematurely and ruining the cookie's spread.
• Using cold butter or a short chill solidifies the fat, ensuring a thick, bakery-style chew.
• A touch of almond extract boosts the natural cherry flavor without adding liquid volume.

My first attempt at cherry cookies ended in a soggy, neon-pink disaster that stained my favorite wooden cutting board.

I had lazily dumped a whole jar of wet maraschino cherries straight into the bowl, thinking the extra syrup would make them sweet. Instead, the excess moisture completely wrecked the flour's gluten structure, leaving me with flat, gummy puddles.

It was incredibly frustrating.

But after testing six different batches, I finally figured out the physics of moisture control in cookie dough. By thoroughly pressing the chopped cherries between thick sheets of paper towel, we remove the excess water while keeping those oil-soluble flavor compounds intact. This ensures the cookies bake up thick and chewy, with pockets of sweet fruit that don't bleed into the surrounding crumb.

Trust me, this simple prep step makes all the difference. Your forearms might ache from squeezing, but the result is absolutely perfect.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Publisher Storied Skillet
• Cuisine American
• Category Dessert, Cookies
• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Cook Time 15 minutes
• Servings 18
• Calories 160 calories
• Rating 4.8 1737
• Tags cherry chocolate chip cookies, maraschino cherry cookies, chewy cherry cookies, holiday cookies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (Land O'Lakes brand recommended)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon fine table salt)
• 1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained, chopped, and squeezed dry
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop the drained maraschino cherries into small pieces, then press them firmly between several layers of paper towels to extract as much moisture as possible.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the King Arthur all-purpose flour, baking soda, and Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
4. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together using a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
5. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined and smooth.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the flour disappears. Do not overmix.
7. Gently fold in the squeezed cherry pieces and Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
8. Drop 1.5-tablespoon-sized scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
9. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look soft.
10. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Brand Recommendation: Use King Arthur all-purpose flour and Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips for the best structural integrity and rich chocolate flavor.
• Salt Conversion: We use 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you are using standard table salt, reduce this to 1/4 teaspoon to avoid over-salting.
• Science-Backed Rationale: Squeezing the cherries is non-negotiable because water interferes with starch gelatinization. Excess liquid will dissolve the sugar too quickly, causing the cookies to spread into thin, crispy puddles.
• Preemptive Workflow Warning: Do not overmix the dough once the flour is added. Overworking the flour develops too much gluten, which turns these tender cookies tough and bready. Keep an eye on the oven—do not let the bottoms burn!
• Storage Behavior: These cookies actually soften slightly on day two as the moisture from the cherries redistributes through the crumb, making them incredibly fudgy.

Serving Suggestions

These cookies are best enjoyed slightly warm when the chocolate is still gooey and the cherry flavor is at its peak. Pair them with simple, comforting classics to let the fruit and chocolate shine.

• Serve warm alongside a tall, ice-cold glass of whole milk.
• Pair with a hot cup of dark roast coffee to balance the sweetness of the cherries.
• Arrange them on a festive dessert platter next to my soft and buttery strawberry sugar cookies.
• Top with a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream for an instant cookie sundae.
• Drizzle the tops with a tiny bit of melted dark chocolate for an elegant, bakery-style look.

Storage and Reheating

Storing these cookies is incredibly easy, but you need to keep them in an airtight container. Because of the moisture in the cherries, they will actually get softer and fudgier by day two.

They will keep beautifully at room temperature for up to four days. Just make sure they are completely cool before locking them away.

Otherwise, they will steam.

If you want to save them for later, these cookies freeze like a dream. I like to flash-freeze the baked cookies on a baking sheet for an hour before transferring them to a heavy-duty freezer bag. They will stay fresh for up to three months, and you can thaw them on the counter in about twenty minutes.

For that fresh-from-the-oven magic, pop a thawed cookie in the microwave for eight seconds. The chocolate melts, the cherry pockets warm up, and it is pure heaven.

Ingredient Substitutes

If you need to swap out a few ingredients based on what is in your pantry, here are the best tested alternatives:

1. Dried Cherries: If you do not have maraschino cherries, you can use dried tart cherries. Just rehydrate them in warm water for 5 minutes, drain, and pat dry.
2. Chocolate Chunks: Swap the semisweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chunks to cut through the sweetness of the cherries.
3. Gluten-Free Flour: You can use a high-quality 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour (like Bob's Red Mill) with great success.
4. Almond Extract: If you have a nut allergy, omit the almond extract and increase the vanilla extract to 1 1/2 teaspoons.

If you love fruit-forward baking, these cookies are an absolute must-try. I used to think chocolate chip cookies were the peak of baking, right alongside my favorite chocolate-filled cookies, but the addition of juicy cherries completely changes the game. For another decadent treat that nails the balance of sweet and salty, check out these salted caramel cookie bars next!