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
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Desiree Chahine
Hi is there a specific cocoa brand which you recommend? – I see that you recommend a quality brand. Also, will sweetened or unsweetened cocoa make a big difference? I didn’t realize it should be unsweetened.
I can’t wait to make these cookies!
Beth Pierce
It should be unsweetened cocoa. I am afraid you can not substitute when it comes to baking. Ghiradhelli is an excellent unsweetened cocoa. That dough may require refrigeration time if it is too sticky to roll.
Jessica
The batter is extremely sticky. I cant even do a thumbprint before I bake them or roll them in balls
Beth Pierce
A few ideas. Try chilling the dough. You could also add just a couple more tablespoons of flour. You can butter your hands
Beth Pierce
I forgot one. If you can get started rolling you can roll them in sugar.
Momsweeties
I have just recently made these amazing cookies! My kiddos have dubbed these thier favorites.. ( yes over my famous chocolate chip cookies ?) thank you so much for sharing ! Hope this day finds you well and baking ..
Beth Pierce
How sweet! Thanks so much! I am so glad that you and your kiddos like them. I am well and I am cooking again!! I am always cooking!
Colleen Haseltine
I am making these for my daughters wedding in October. I have made them before but have never froze them. If frozen, will the cherry juice leak out and how soft is the chocolate glaze after they are defrosted? Thanks. Could you please email me your answer. colleenhas@yahoo.com
Beth Pierce
The chocolate glaze is soft and I am not sure about the cherries since I have never frozen this particular cookie. I think before you make these for such a large event I would run a test batch and freeze them. These are not really a stack-able cookie because of the fudge sauce however you could drizzle with melted chocolate with a just a very small amount of coconut oil to thin it out to make it easier to drizzle. (2-3 teaspoon per cup of chocolate) That chocolate should harden making them stack-able.
Amy
I want to try this recipe but I don’t know what kind of chocolate chips it calls for. There are so many different kinds.
Beth Pierce
They are best with semi-sweet. I have amended the recipe to reflect that.
Katie
My mom always made the Betty Crocker version of these cookies & now I do. They are always a hit! But, our recipes says to completely cover the cherry with chocolate & then bake the cookie for 10 minutes. The chocolate coating sets this way & almost turns to a fudge. So good!
Beth Pierce
Cool! Thanks for the heads up. Sound delicious!
Sally
If I leave out the 2 tsp of cherry juice, should I add something in its place? I want to use your cookie recipe but put something different in the middle.
Beth Pierce
What are you putting in the middle. That might help me give you some advice on what to put in place of the cherry juice.
Linda Leone
Looks wonderful! I can’t wait to put them with my Christmas cookie list ?
Celeste
Made these tonight for a cookie exchange tomorrow. Haven’t even drizzled the cookies yet, but they taste awesome. Thank you for sharing, I can’t wait to bring these tomorrow. They look great, the recipe was simple to follow and they taste awesome.
Beth Pierce
That is awesome. Merry Christmas. I hope you have a great holiday.
Victoria
Oh my! These are FABULOUS!!! I realize you posted this recipe 2 years ago, but I just found it and made them for a ladies’ Christmas party cookie exchange, and these are easily the best cookies I’ve ever made or eaten in my life! I made them on a Friday, and I just ate the last one today (Tuesday, 4 days later) and they are still every bit as moist and fresh tasting as the day I made them! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your recipe, I will be making these every year for Christmas from now on!
The only changes I made were to use all non-dairy ingredients due to allergies in the family. I used all shortening (Spectrum organic, non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening from whole foods) instead of butter, and dairy-free chocolate chips (also from Whole Foods) for the chocolate fudge drizzle. I was going to use sweetened condensed coconut milk to make the drizzle, but a friend who would be at the cookie exchange is allergic to coconut, so I used 1 tsp shortening and added it to the chocolate chips and microwaved in 15 second intervals until it was melted and smooth, then stirred in the cherry juice and piped into cooled cookies using a Ziploc bag with a small corner cut to pipe.
These were so yummy, very pretty and festive looking, and intensely chocolate. Can’t beat the cherry-chocolate combo! Thank you for the new favorite cookie recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks so much for all your kind words. I needed a little pick me up today and this was just the right message. I do love a chocolate cherry combo and I am so glad that you do too!! Merry Christmas!!
Jas Hughes
I made these, and they are delicious! I served them at a Clue-themed party to represent Ms Scarlett’s character. (Pictures: http://www.itsallgeekto.me/2016/10/clue-themed-cocktail-party.html)
Thanks for the inspiration!
bpierce
What fun!! Looks like a blast!! 🙂
Colleen Huff
I’ve been making these for years. The only difference is, I make more chocolate mixture and completely cover the cherry. They are a big hit!
bpierce
Yes they are delicious little cookies. Happy holiday to you and yours!
Lisa
Is it unsweetened cocoa ?
Beth Pierce
Yes it is!
Lisa
Thanks,I’m going to give it a try. Happy Holidays.
Colleen
I’ve been making these for years. The only difference, I make more chocolate sauce and completely cover the cherry. They are always a big hit!
Cindy swank
I just made these this morning and the chocolate drizzle is not getting hard. How long does it take to set up?
bpierce
Sorry about the delay. I was at my son’s Christmas concert. That chocolate drizzle will remain a little gooey as it is a chocolate fudge sauce. However if you are freezing them for Christmas you can flash freeze them. Lay them uncovered on cookie sheets in a single layer and place in freezer for about an hour. Double wrap them in freezer storage bags. Before serving remember to take them out of the freezer bags while stile frozen because the condensation while thawing ruins the texture of the cookie. I also place mine in glad-ware storage containers after double wrapping because everyone is in and out of my freezer. If you are not freezing them placing them in the refrigerator will help stiffen the fudge sauce but you will not be able to stack these cookies.
Sandra
Can you freeze the uncooked dough then add the cherry right before you cook them? You mentioned that the cookies “freeze well in single layers” — you meant in dough form, right? Without the cherry? They look delicious, and love the look that the drizzled chocolate give them.
bpierce
Thanks for the compliment. I love those cookies. I could eat one right now. No I meant in baked form however most cookie doughs freeze extremely well and can be kept frozen for up to 4 or 6 weeks. Use these tips for freezing: Double-wrap dough in plastic wrap and them place in freezer storage bags to prevent freezer burn and absorption of odors from your freezer. Write the type of cookie dough and the date it was frozen on the outside of the package. If you decide to bake and freeze. Flash freeze on cookie sheets first and then place in single layers in airtight freezer proof containers. They taste delicious after thawed with the cherries in them. Don’t forget to take them out of the containers and place on tray while defrosting. Moisture can get to any cake or cookie if allowed to defrost in a sealed container.
Kim Harmon
Just noticed, after I baked of course, instructions never said to add vanilla or cherry juice to batter!
bpierce
So sorry!! I am going to correct in two shakes of a lambs tail. My sister the proofreader was out of town. Please send your address to my private email bethpierce@centurylink.net and I will send a small gift card to offset some of your cost. Please include the names of some stores that you frequent!
Sorry again!
Beth
Barbara Tamburo
Actually you add both vanilla and cherry juice to batter.