These Chocolate Cherry Cookies are a fabulous treat. They are a soft fudge cookie with a plump, sweet maraschino cherry in the center, drizzled with chocolate fudge sauce.
Are you making cookie trays for the holidays? Small Batch Almond Joy Cookies and Buttery Pecan Snowball Cookies are delicious and beautiful additions to your cookie trays.
Who could ask for more? Not only are these cookies a delectable treat, but they are so attractive. See what I mean! We love these cookies; they are perfect for the season. What could be prettier for the season than chocolate and cherry? If you like this recipe, you must try chocolate cherry cake, chocolate-covered cherries, cherry cheesecake, and cherry bars.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: unsalted. If using salted butter, reduce the amount of added salt.
- Sugar: I like a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar
- Cocoa: use good quality unsweetened cocoa. My preferred brand is Ghirardelli, but there are other excellent brands.
- Vanilla extract: the pure stuff, or substitute 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract
- Chocolate chips: semi-sweet or dark chocolate
How to make Chocolate Cherry Cookies
First, using a mixer, cream the butter and both sugars. Then add eggs one at a time and mix in. Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Slowly blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Then, add the vanilla and cherry juice and mix just until combined. Cover and refrigerate for thirty minutes.
Smooth some butter on your hands and roll the dough into one-inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Using your thumb, press a slight indentation in the center of each cookie and place a maraschino cherry in the hole. Bake for ten minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips and the sweetened condensed milk on low. When melted, add the cherry juice and drizzle over cooled cookies.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Cover baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Use your thumb to press a small indentation in the cookie before baking. You want the cherry to be very prominent, so just a slight impression to get the cherry to cradle on the top of the cookie.
- The fudge topping is semi-soft, so serve in a single layer.
- Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Freeze the dough in a practice commonly known as flash freezing. Roll the dough and place it on parchment-covered baking sheets. Ensure the dough balls aren’t touching so they don’t freeze together.
Place the whole sheet in the freezer until frozen, and then transfer the balls to a freezer bag. Store that bag in a sturdy freezer container. When you are ready to bake, place the cookies on a parchment-covered baking sheet and let them thaw until you can press a small indentation and add the cherry. Frozen cookies may require an additional one to two minutes of baking time.
If you must have a stackable cookie, replace the chocolate drizzle with melted chocolate. Melt 2/3 cup of chocolate morsels according to package instructions. Drizzle and then allow to cool until set.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper. They should not be touching, as they will freeze together. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer. Once the cookies are frozen, double-wrap them in freezer bags and place them in a sturdy freezer container.
More Holiday Cookies
Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cocoa
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cherry juice from maraschino cherry jar
- 30-36 jarred maraschino cherries
Chocolate Drizzle
- ¼ cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon cherry juice from maraschino cherry jar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream butter and both sugars with a mixer. Add eggs one at a time and mix in.
- Combine flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Add ½ cup dry mixture to butter mixture at a time. Blending after each addition just until combined and scraping the side of the mixer bowl as needed. Add vanilla and 2 teaspoons of cherry juice and mix just until combined. Remove bowl from mixer and refrigerate for 30 minutes
- Butter hands and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Using your thumb, press a small indentation in the center of each cookie and place a maraschino cherry in the hole.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Melt chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk on low. When melted, add 1 tablespoon of cherry juice. Drizzle over cooled cookies.
Notes
- Cover baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Use your thumb to press a small indentation in the cookie before baking. You want the cherry to be very prominent, so just a slight impression to get the cherry to cradle on the top of the cookie.
- The fudge topping is semi-soft, so serve in a single layer.
- Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
Nutrition
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Yvette Hegler
This cookie is delicious. Everyone in my family loved them. I’m definitely adding this to my yearly Christmas list of things to bake.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Yvette! I am so glad that everyone loved them!
Nancy
I’m getting ready to make these now. Am I able to refrigerate the dough until tomorrow to bake them? Thank you.
Beth Pierce
Sorry I missed this! I was busy writing and cooking. Yes you can refrigerate till tomorrow.
Michelle
These are so tasty and perfect for the upcoming holidays. I ran a test run for my Christmas cookie tray and hubby loved them.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! So happy that you liked them!
Lynn
Those cherry cookies don’t only look delicious, they look so festive, too. I am going to prepare them for Christmas.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Lynn! Enjoy!
Juliana
Chocolate and cherries are such a fantastic conbo! These cookies were delicious and easy to make. We fought over the last few cookies!
Amelia J
these chocolate cherry cookies are amazing! The rich chocolate and tart cherries are the perfect combo—so soft and flavorful. Definitely a new favorite! 🍪
Karen
These chocolate cherry cookies omg…I am so gonna make them…It is finally cookie season lol…Best season ever.
Michelle
We thought these chocolate cherry cookies were 10/10! They have definitely earned a place on our Christmas cookie tray.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! So happy that you liked them!
Vanessa
These cookies were incredible! The combination of rich chocolate and tart cherries was heavenly. They stayed soft and chewy even the next day (though there weren’t many left!).
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Vanessa! I am happy that you enjoyed them!
Krystle Smith
These Chocolate Cherry Cookies are pure decadence! The soft, fudgy cookie base melts in your mouth while the bright maraschino cherry adds a burst of sweet, fruity flavor.
Melissa
Great recipe – everyone enjoyed the rich fudge with the cherry on top!
Sarah
My husband has been talking about these cookies since I made them last Christmas! Finally getting around to making another batch!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Sarah! Enjoy!
Christina
I am wanting to make this recipe but I was wondering if I could use chocolate covered cherries (the holiday ones)in the center and then bake the cookie. Any info would be much appreciated.
Beth Pierce
Sorry that is not going to work as they will melt in the heat of the oven.