Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip

Featured in Indulgent Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Any Sweet Tooth.

If you love chocolate chip cookies, you'll adore these with sweet maraschino cherries. They're soft, chewy, and perfectly balanced. For gatherings or quiet moments with coffee, these simple cookies are made from ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, and cherries, baked golden in just 10-12 minutes. Eat warm or store leftovers in a sealed container. Savor the blend of chocolatey goodness and fruity sweetness every time!

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Updated on Tue, 06 May 2025 12:34:38 GMT
Cookie with cherries and chocolate chips. Pin it
Cookie with cherries and chocolate chips. | chefmelt.com

These amazing Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies turn ordinary chocolate chip treats into something special by adding bright, sweet maraschino cherries. You'll love how the chewy texture works with the rich chocolate and fruity cherry flavors—everyone will grab another one!

I whipped these cookies up for my niece's party when I needed a quick but different sweet treat. Those bright red cherries looked so fun against the chocolate, and everyone loved the taste combo so much that now I have to bring them to every family get-together.

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter: Let it soften at room temp for a rich base that lets you add salt your way
  • Granulated sugar: Gives you those crispy edges
  • Brown sugar: Makes the middle chewy and moist
  • Large eggs: Hold everything together and add structure
  • Vanilla extract: Makes all flavors pop, especially the chocolate
  • All purpose flour: Creates the right structure, and unbleached tastes better
  • Baking soda: Helps them rise and keeps them soft
  • Salt: Cuts the sweetness and boosts other flavors
  • Maraschino cherries: Drained and cut up for color and sweet fruitiness
  • Semisweet chocolate chips: Add cocoa richness that goes great with cherries

Easy Baking Steps

Preheat the Oven:
Turn oven to 350°F and put parchment on your cookie sheets. This temp helps cookies rise right and get golden edges while staying soft inside. Make sure your oven heats up fully for 10 minutes before you start baking.
Cream the Butter and Sugars:
Mix butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a big bowl until it looks lighter and fluffy. This key step puts air in your dough and usually takes 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. Good creaming means better texture.
Add Wet Ingredients:
Mix in eggs one by one, waiting until each one blends in before adding another. This stops the mix from breaking and spreads everything evenly. Then add vanilla and mix for about 30 more seconds until it's all combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients:
Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in another bowl until they're all blended. This way you won't get clumps of salt or baking soda in your cookies. Slowly add this to your wet stuff, mixing on low just until combined. Don't mix too much or your cookies will get tough.
Fold in Cherries and Chocolate Chips:
Gently stir in the drained and chopped cherries and chocolate chips with a rubber spatula. Spread them evenly through the dough without overmixing. Pat those cherries really dry with paper towels so they don't make your cookies too wet.
Form and Bake:
Drop spoonfuls of dough on your cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake them for 10-12 minutes until the edges look golden but the middles still seem a bit underdone. This makes sure they stay chewy and don't dry out.
Cool Properly:
Let cookies sit on the hot pans for 5 minutes. They'll finish cooking from the leftover heat and firm up enough to move. Then put them on wire racks to cool all the way so air can go around them and they don't get soggy.
Chocolate chip cookies with red jelly. Pin it
Chocolate chip cookies with red jelly. | chefmelt.com

My grandma always told me the maraschino cherries made these cookies extra special. She'd always save a few cherries for me to munch on while we baked together. I still think about those times in her kitchen, smelling these cookies baking, as some of my best childhood memories.

Choosing Great Cherries

When buying maraschino cherries for these cookies, go for ones with bright color and fewer fake ingredients when you can. Better quality cherries without corn syrup really do taste nicer. Cut them into quarters instead of tiny pieces. This way, you get nice pops of cherry flavor in each bite rather than having them blend away in the dough. Always drain them well and dry them with paper towels to get rid of extra juice that could mess up your cookie texture.

A plate of chocolate chip cookies with cherries on top. Pin it
A plate of chocolate chip cookies with cherries on top. | chefmelt.com

Keeping Them Fresh

These cookies stay good at room temp in a sealed container for up to a week. Just make sure they cool completely before you put them away so they don't get damp and soggy. If you want to save them longer, put the cooled cookies in freezer bags with parchment paper between layers and freeze for up to three months. Let them thaw for about an hour before eating, or warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to taste freshly baked. The cherries actually help them stay moist longer than regular chocolate chip cookies do.

Fun Twists

The main recipe works great for trying different things. White chocolate chips look amazing next to the red cherries and taste creamier and sweeter. For a fancier flavor, try adding 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract with the vanilla to go with the cherry taste. During the holidays, throw in 1/2 cup of chopped pistachios for red and green colors that look festive. If you love chocolate, swap some flour for cocoa powder to make a chocolate cookie base that makes the cherries stand out even more.

Ways to Enjoy

These cookies taste best when they're a bit warm with cold milk or hot coffee. For a fancy dessert, put vanilla ice cream between two cookies and freeze them to make your own ice cream sandwiches. Cherry and chocolate go really well with after-dinner drinks like port wine or coffee liqueurs at grown-up parties. You might want to serve them alongside other fruity desserts for a party spread that shows off fruit flavors.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I swap maraschino cherries for fresh ones?

Sure! Just remove the pits, chop them up, and pat them dry to avoid extra juice messing with the cookies.

→ What can I use instead of chocolate chips?

Dark chocolate chunks, white chocolate, or even nuts like walnuts or pecans work great as substitutes.

→ How do I make them softer?

Take them out of the oven a bit early and let them cool on the tray first. They'll stay soft and chewy!

→ Is there a dairy-free option?

Yep! Swap out regular butter for vegan butter, and use dairy-free chocolate chips.

→ What's the best way to store them?

Pop them in an airtight container and keep them at room temp for up to a week, or freeze them for three months.

Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip

Chewy cookies with cherries and chocolate for a sweet spin.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
12 Minutes
Total Time
27 Minutes

Category: Dessert Recipes

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: 24 Servings

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 1 cup packed brown sugar
02 1 cup granulated sugar
03 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
04 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 2 large eggs
06 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 3 cups all-purpose flour
08 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
10 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well-drained

Instructions

Step 01

Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and get some parchment paper on your baking sheets.

Step 02

Use a big bowl to beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar till it’s nice and fluffy.

Step 03

Crack in the eggs one at a time while mixing. Stir in the vanilla after that.

Step 04

In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly combine this with the butter mixture.

Step 05

Carefully stir in the maraschino cherries and chocolate chips.

Step 06

Scoop out rounded spoonfuls of dough and place them on the lined baking sheets.

Step 07

Pop them in the oven for about 10-12 minutes, until the edges just start to turn golden.

Step 08

Leave the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for a bit before moving them to cooling racks.

Notes

  1. A cookie scoop helps keep cookie sizes even.
  2. Try adding a pinch of almond extract for an extra flavor kick.

Tools You'll Need

  • Whisk
  • Baking sheets
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Cookie scoop
  • Wire racks
  • Parchment paper

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Could contain gluten from using all-purpose flour.
  • Has dairy ingredients like butter and chocolate chips.
  • Includes eggs.
  • Chocolate chips may carry traces of tree nuts.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 180
  • Total Fat: 9 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 24 g
  • Protein: 2 g