Maraschino cherry cookies combine the nostalgic sweetness of maraschino cherries with decadent chocolate chips to create something that stands out on any cookie platter. Pretty pink bits of maraschino cherry peek through chocolate chip studded cookies for a treat that will be your new favorite!
These cherry chocolate beauties stand out in a sea of sugar cookies and snickerdoodles! And they are super easy to make – they are just a simple variation on chocolate chip cookies that come together fast.
What makes these cookies special isn’t just their eye-catching looks—it’s how the cherries create little pockets of moisture that keep the cookies soft and chewy. The slight tang of the cherries cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate, creating a perfect balance that’ll have you reaching for just one more.
And if you’re worried that the maraschino cherries will make the cookies too sweet, don’t be. I use just enough cherries to add flavor without overwhelming the classic chocolate chip cookie base.
Let me show you how to make these crowd-pleasing cookies, which are perfect for everything from holiday cookie platters to summer picnics to bake sales. Once you master them, they’ll become your signature bring-along treat!
In this post, I’ll walk you through the cherry chocolate chip cookie recipe step-by-step and share some tips I’ve learned. They’re a fun twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie and will be a hit wherever you serve them.
Are you looking for more cookie recipes? Try Oreo Cream Cheese Cookies, Peppermint Kiss Cookies and Toffee Cookies.
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
This recipe uses the following baking staples: Butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, salt, flour and baking soda. You will also need:
- Almond extract: This little addition really enhances the cherry flavor. But if you don’t have any, substitute vanilla.
- Maraschino cherries with juice: These are the star of the show, adding both color and sweetness.
- Semi-sweet mini chocolate chips: I prefer using mini chips because they distribute more evenly throughout the dough. But if you only have regular-sized chips, they’ll work fine.
🥣How to Make Maraschino Cherry Cookies
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain and dice the cherries, but reserve the juice for the batter.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar together. An electric mixer will make this much easier. Once it’s smooth, add the egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, and two teaspoons of that precious maraschino cherry juice. Mix it all up until it’s well combined.
- Sprinkle in the salt, flour, and baking soda. Stir everything together until you’ve got a thick dough.
- Gently fold in 3/4 cup of chopped maraschino cherries and most of the mini chocolate chips. I like holding back two tablespoons of chips to top the cookies later. This dough is going to be sticky.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto your prepared baking sheet. If you want big, bakery-style cookies, use about two tablespoons of dough per cookie. For smaller, more snackable cookies, go with one tablespoon. Make sure to leave about two inches between each cookie—they’ll spread as they bake.
- Place the cookies in the oven for 11-13 minutes. They’re done when they’ve spread out and turned a lovely golden color.
- When the cookies come out of the oven, press a few chocolate chips onto the top of each one. This not only makes them look extra pretty, but it also gives you little pockets of melty chocolate goodness in every bite.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
🍴Serving Ideas
These Maraschino cherry cookies are irresistible! You probably don’t need serving ideas; just pile them up on a plate and let everyone dig in!
But they are absolutely perfect with a cold glass of milk. It’s a classic combo for a reason! You can also pair them with a hot cup of coffee or tea. The warmth of the drink brings out the chocolate flavor beautifully.
I love to bring these cherry cookies to a potluck or picnic because they are an extra fun twist on the always popular chocolate chip cookies. They also look lovely on a Christmas cookie tray, adding a nice bright red pop of color.
💭How to Store
Keep these cherry chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container on your counter for up to 3 days for short-term storage. If they last a little long, they’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days.
These cookies also freeze beautifully! If you want to have a stash on hand for unexpected guests or late-night cravings, just let them cool completely, then put them in a freezer-safe container or bag. They’ll keep for up to 2 months.
When ready to enjoy your frozen cookies, take as many as you want and let them thaw on the counter. Or, if you are in a hurry, you can microwave them for about 10-15 seconds. Just don’t overdo it, or you’ll end up with a gooey mess.
❄️Freezing the Dough
Freezing cookie dough is a great way to save time in the kitchen. Plus, with frozen dough, you can have fresh-baked cookies whenever the craving strikes you. Frozen dough will keep for up to 6 months!
Make the dough as directed, scoop it onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. When you’re ready to bake, add a few minutes to the baking time.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Make sure you drain the cherries well. If there is too much moisture on the cherries, the cookies will spread way too much.
- Overmixing can lead to tough cookies. Mix until the ingredients are just combined, then stop.
- Change up the add-ins if you like. White or dark chocolate chips work just as well as semi-sweet.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring if you want to make the cookies pink, like for Valentine’s Day.
- Watch the cookies during the last few minutes of baking. The difference between perfectly baked and overdone can be a matter of seconds. When you take them out, they should be golden around the edges but still slightly soft in the center—they’ll continue to set as they cool.
📝Reader Questions
Fresh cherries are delicious but don’t work in this recipe. Maraschino cherries are candied, which gives them that distinct sweetness and texture. Fresh cherries might make the cookies too wet. If you’re not a fan of maraschinos, try dried cherries instead!
Yes, cocktail cherries are just maraschino cherries with a stem. Obviously, you should remove the stems before you dice them!
Oh, I’ve been there! A few things could cause this. Make sure your butter isn’t too soft. Chilling the dough before baking is a tried-and-true method of making cookies spread less. And double-check your oven temperature—an oven that’s too hot can cause spreading.
Absolutely! You can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking or freeze it to bake later.
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Maraschino Cherry Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup chopped maraschino cherries drained
- ¾ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper on your cookie sheet. Drain the cherries, reserving the juice.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar on high until smooth.4 tablespoons butter, ¾ cup light brown sugar
- Add the egg, almond extract, vanilla extract, maraschino cherry juice, and salt and stir by hand until combined.1 egg, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry juice
- Add the flour and the baking soda and continue stirring until mixed thoroughly. The batter will be thick.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the mini chocolate chips and set aside. Add the chopped maraschino cherries and the remaining chocolate chips to the batter and fold them in until they are evenly distributed. The batter will be very sticky.¾ cup chopped maraschino cherries, ¾ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
- Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto the cookie sheet, leaving at least 2 inches between the batter balls. For large cookies, use approximately two tablespoons or 1.5 ounces of batter. For smaller cookies, use one tablespoon of batter.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. The cookies will spread and will be golden in color.
- Cool for 3 minutes before pressing the reserved chocolate chips over the top of the cookies in a random pattern. Cool the cookies on the pan for an additional 10 minutes before moving them to a rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Regular-size chocolate chips work well, too.
- You can leave out the almond extract if you don’t have it or don’t like almonds.
- Make sure you drain the cherries well. If there is too much moisture on the cherries, the cookies will spread too much.
- Change up the add-ins if you like. White or dark chocolate chips work just as well as semi-sweet.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring if you want to make the cookies pink, like for Valentine’s Day.
- If you use cocktail cherries remove the stems before you dice them.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
