Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cherry chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with sweet maraschino cherries and mini chocolate chips. They’re the perfect balance of fruity and chocolatey with a hint of almond!

The combination of chopped maraschino cherries and mini chocolate chips creates the most amazing flavor and texture. They’re chewy, perfectly sweet, and are just so cute with their pink hue! These cookies are perfect for Valentine’s Day or just because!

Once it comes time for Valentine’s Day or even Galentine’s, these cookies would be perfect alongside brown butter brownies and Valentine’s day cookies! If you’re looking for V-day desserts rather than cookies, this vanilla crème brûlée or white chocolate raspberry mousse is sure to impress!

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Light Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar creates a chewy texture and adds just a touch of molasses flavor that complements the cherries beautifully. You can use dark brown sugar for a slightly more robust flavor.
• Maraschino Cherries: The star of the show! Make sure to drain them thoroughly for several hours or overnight before using. You can save that cherry juice for cocktails or Shirley Temples.
• Mini Chocolate Chips: Mini chocolate chips distribute more evenly throughout the dough than regular-sized semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use regular chocolate chips if that’s what you have, but I prefer the mini ones for this recipe.
• Almond Extract: This enhances the cherry flavor without being overwhelming. Don’t skip it! The almond and cherry combination is classic for a reason, and if you love it as much as I do, be sure to make this cherry almond bundt cake.
• Red Gel Food Coloring: This is entirely optional, like with my red velvet cookies, but a tiny amount gives the cookies that pretty pink color.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations for Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Add some crunch. Toast some chopped almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, or pistachios like with these cherry pistachio snowballs! Once cooled, fold them in with the chocolate and cherries!
• Change the extract. Try vanilla extract instead of almond if you’re not a fan of almond flavor. You could even use cherry extract to really amp up that cherry taste.
• Make them into blossoms! You can omit the mini chocolate chips and make the cookies smaller. Once they come out of the oven, place a Hershey kiss on top! You can also make these peanut butter blossoms. They are one of my favorites!

Professional Tips

• Drain those cherries! This is the most crucial step! Pour the cherries into a sieve several hours or the night before you plan to bake. The excess moisture needs to drain away, or your cookies will spread and be too soft. Drain some extra so you can make these cherry cookies as well!
• Bake from frozen. In my bakery, we made hundreds of these cookies, and the trick to the perfect thick chewy cookies is to bake them once they are completely frozen. You will need to add 1-2 minutes to your baking time. Just look for that matte finish on top, and you’ll know your cookies are done.
• Chill is mandatory. Unlike my brownie cookies, these cookies absolutely need to be chilled. The moisture from the cherries means the dough needs that time in the refrigerator to firm up. Four hours minimum, but overnight is even better.

How to Make Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Use these instructions to make this thick and chewy chocolate cherry cookie recipe! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Drain the cherries. Several hours or the night before you plan to bake, pour the cherries into a sieve or colander and allow them to drain over a bowl. You can reserve the liquid for cocktails or Shirley Temples. Chop the cherries and return them to the sieve until you’re ready to mix the dough (photo 1).

When chopping the cherries, wear gloves unless you want some red fingers!

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside (photo 2).

Step 3: Cream butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and light brown sugar. Mix on medium speed until a paste forms (photo 3).

Step 4: Add the egg and beat it in thoroughly, scraping down the bowl at least once (photo 4).

Step 5: Add the almond extract and optional red food coloring (photo 5).

You can use a toothpick to dip it into the gel coloring, then swirl it in the bowl. A full drop would be way too much coloring.

Step 6: Incorporate dry ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the dry ingredients in several additions, never letting the previous addition incorporate fully before adding the next (photos 6 & 7).

Step 7: Add the chopped cherries and mini chocolate chips and mix on low speed until distributed. You could also do this by hand with a silicone spatula (photo 8).

Step 8: Portion and chill dough. Scoop or spoon the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop or approximately the size of a golf ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight (photo 9).

Step 9: When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325°F convection (with the fan) or 350°F conventional (no fan).

Step 10: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and roll each piece of dough into a ball. Place on the baking sheets in staggered rows about 2 inches apart (photo 10).

Because of the cherries, the dough will roll better once it has been chilled.

Step 11: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-14 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers have puffed and look matte rather than shiny (photo 11).

Step 12: Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (photo 12).

Recipe FAQs

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this fun twist on a classic cookie! Check out our other delicious cookie recipes, like these chewy sugar cookies or these Nutella cookies!