Chocolate Cherry Cookie Delights

These are like the classic chewy chocolate chip cookies you love, but with a full-on cherry situation. We’re talking rich cocoa cookie dough, melty dark chocolate, and little ruby bites of tart dried cherries (or maraschino if you’re feeling extra). They’re soft in the center, a little crinkly on top, and you get that sweet-tart hit with every bite. Basically, they’re the cookie that gets people hovering around the cooling rack pretending they’re “just checking if they’re done.”

My husband claims he “doesn’t even like cherries,” which is funny because every time I make these, the cookie count drops at suspicious speed. The kids call them “cherry brownies in cookie clothes” and they’re not wrong. We made a batch on a rainy Sunday and ate them warm with milk, and now they’re locked in as a birthday-week staple, bake-sale hero, and I-had-a-day treat. Also, I have snuck one for breakfast. Zero regrets.

How to Make It

Grab a big bowl and cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar till it looks like fluffy clouds. Beat in 2 large eggs, one at a time, plus 2 teaspoons vanilla. If you have it, add 1 teaspoon espresso powder—it won’t make it taste like coffee, it just wakes up the chocolate.

In a separate bowl, whisk 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the dry stuff to the wet in two rounds so you don’t snowglobe your kitchen. Stir in 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips/chunks and 1 cup chopped dried tart cherries. If you’re using maraschino cherries (I love them here), chop 1/2 cup and blot them bone-dry with paper towels so they don’t make the cookies spread like pancakes. Optional but fab: 1/4 teaspoon almond extract.

Chill the dough 30 minutes—just enough to firm it up so the scoops behave. Scoop 2 tablespoons per cookie onto a lined sheet, sprinkle a whisper of flaky salt, and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until the edges are set but the centers still look a little soft. Let them sit on the sheet for 5 minutes (they finish cooking there), then move to a rack. Yields about 24 cookies if you don’t “quality control” too many dough balls.

✔Ingredient Notes

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– Unsalted butter: Room temp is key—soft like a marshmallow, not greasy-melty. Too cold and you’ll overmix; too warm and they’ll spread.
– Brown sugar: Gives chew and a little caramel vibe. I like dark brown here, but light works.
– Cocoa powder: Natural or Dutch-process both work; Dutch is a little smoother and darker. Sift it if it’s clumpy.
– Dried tart cherries: Chewy, bright, and they don’t water down the dough. Chop them so you get cherry in every bite.
– Maraschino cherries (optional): Fun, pink, a tiny bit extra. Drain and blot like your life depends on it or… cookie puddles.
– Dark chocolate chips/chunks: Use what you love eating out of the bag. Chopped bar chocolate makes those puddles.
– Espresso powder: Doesn’t make it “coffee,” just deepens chocolate. Skip if you want, but it’s nice.
– Almond extract: Just a drop. It whispers “black forest cake” without taking over.
– Flaky salt: Tiny sprinkle on top = bakery magic. Don’t go wild or it turns savory-fast.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, espresso powder, and almond extract if using.
4. Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; add to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
5. Fold in chocolate chips/chunks and chopped cherries; chill dough 30 minutes.
6. Scoop 2-tablespoon balls, top with flaky salt, bake 10–12 minutes, cool 5 minutes on the sheet, then move to a rack.

What to Serve It With

– Cold milk or a creamy latte.
– A scoop of vanilla or cherry ice cream for full sundae energy.
– Fresh berries or a quick cherry compote if you want to be fancy.
– After-dinner espresso and a couch. Perfect.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Chill the dough: Even 20–30 minutes stops the cookie spread and gives you nice thick edges.
– Don’t overbake: Pull when centers look slightly underdone; they set as they cool.
– Dry those maraschinos: Press between layers of paper towel like you mean it.
– Measure flour right: Spoon and level. Too much flour = cakey, sad cookies.
– Salt on top: Just a pinch. It makes the chocolate pop.

✔Storage Tips

Room temp in an airtight container for 3–4 days—tuck a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft. Fridge makes them firmer and extra chewy; honestly great cold with coffee. Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months, or freeze scooped dough balls and bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes. Breakfast cookie? Been there. It’s fine. Live your life.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 GF baking blend with xanthan gum. Dough may need 5 more minutes of chill time.
– Dairy-free: Swap vegan butter and use dairy-free chips. Texture stays soft and chewy.
– Nuts: Add 1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds or pecans for crunch.
– White chocolate: Swap half the dark chips for white for that cherry cordial vibe.
– Sweetness tweaks: Reduce granulated sugar by 2–3 tablespoons, or swap 1/4 cup for maple syrup and add 2 tablespoons extra flour.
– Boozy: Stir in 1 tablespoon cherry liqueur (Kirsch) and bump flour by 1 tablespoon to balance moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Chocolate Cherry Cookie Delights

Soft, chewy chocolate cookies studded with tart dried cherries and melty chocolate chips—easy to make and perfect for any sweet tooth.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes minutes

Servings: 24

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 0.5 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon almond extract optional
• ▢ 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine salt
• ▢ 1.5 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ▢ 1 cup dried cherries chopped

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and almond extract (if using).
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix on low just until combined; do not overmix.
• Fold in chocolate chips and chopped dried cherries until evenly distributed.
• Scoop dough into 1.5-tablespoon mounds and place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft.
• Cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For bakery-style thickness, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.