Chocolate Cherry Cookies are full of maraschino cherries, maraschino cherry juice, a chocolate cookie base, and a sweetened condensed milk cherry glaze over top. They’re so pretty and so delicious!
Do you love chocolate + cherry desserts? Be sure and also try Chocolate Cherry Dump Cake, Chocolate Cherry Cake, and Easy Cherry Poke Cake.
Maraschino Cherry Cookies
These chocolate cherry cookies are for all the chocolate lovers! Fudgy cookies full of cherry flavor – sweet juicy cherries and maraschino cherry juice – that are a great addition to a holiday cookie tray or at a cookie exchange party.
They are also the perfect red color for a Valentine’s Day treat. Because chocolate and anything red always goes over well that day!
Ingredients Needed
Ingredients For The Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour : I use unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Butter : I use salted butter for all my baking. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt by about 1/4 teaspoon.
- Light Brown Sugar
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Maraschino Cherries : Remove the cherries from the jar (with the juice, make sure to reserve some juice) and blot them dry with a paper towel.
Ingredients For The Chocolate Cherry Frosting
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips : If you prefer sweeter then use milk chocolate, if you prefer a less sweet version then use dark chocolate.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Maraschino Cherry Juice : From the jar of maraschino cherries.
How To Make Chocolate Cherry Cookies (With Maraschino Cherries)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside. I recommend using parchment paper but you could also use a silpat baking liner or cooking spray.
In a small bowl, add the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until combined. Set aside.
In large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, light brown sugar, and sugar until light & fluffy (at least 2-3 minutes).
Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Gradually add the dry ingredients (from the small bowl) into the larger bowl of wet ingredients, mixing on low speed after each addition just until combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and form the dough into a large ball to make it easier to scoop.
Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop (or measuring spoon) to create cookie balls. Use your hands to roll them into round balls. Place 12 dough balls per cookie sheet.
Use a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, or your clean thumb or index finger, to create a small indentation in the center of each cookie dough ball. Place one blotted dry maraschino cherry into the center of each indentation.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look slightly cracked.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cook on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make The Chocolate Cherry Frosting : In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the semisweet chocolate chips and the sweetened condensed milk. Stirring frequently until smooth and glossy. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the maraschino cherry juice. Add up to an additional 1 tablespoon of maraschino cherry juice depending on your preferred consistency.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, use a piping bag with a small tip, a ziplock bag with the corner snipped, or a spoon, to drizzle the chocolate cherry frosting over top each cookie. Allow the frosting to set at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
How To Store Leftover Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- Room Temperature : Keep the cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay soft for up to 5 days. To help them retain their moisture, layer the cookies with parchment paper and include slice of white bread in the container, which helps keep cookies from drying out.
- Refrigeration : You can refrigerate the cookies in an airtight container for a longer storage option. They’ll keep for up to 7 days. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookie(s) sit at room temperature for a bit to bring them back to their original softness and flavor. You can also try microwaving them for just a few seconds to soften them back up.
Tips For Success
- Make sure the maraschino cherries are well-blotted dry to avoid excess moisture affecting the cookies while baking. I use a double layer of paper towels to gently pat the cherries dry.
- Use room temperature butter, which helps the ingredients incorporate smoothly with the other ingredients, resulting in a more even dough and consistent texture in the baked cookies.
- Don’t roll the dough balls too big, or else the ratio of chocolate cookie to the cherry will be a bit off. You only need about 1 tablespoon of dough for each dough ball.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Muddy Buddy Cookies
- M&M Cookies
- Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
- Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
- Peppermint Cheesecake Cookies
- Twix Thumbprint Cookies
- Reese’s Stuffed Monster Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt (I use kosher salt or sea salt)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter softened
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 24 maraschino cherries (blotted dry with paper towel)
Chocolate Cherry Glaze
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1-2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice (from the jar of cherries)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.*I recommend using parchment paper but you could also use a silpat baking liner or cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, add the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until combined. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- In large mixing bowl using an electric mixer, or use the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, light brown sugar, and sugar until light & fluffy (at least 2-3 minutes).1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract, and mix until the ingredients are fully incorporated.1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients (from the small bowl) into the larger bowl of wet ingredients, mixing on low speed after each addition just until combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and form the dough into a large ball to make it easier to scoop.
- Use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop (or measuring spoon) to create cookie balls. Use your hands to roll them into round balls. Place 12 dough balls per cookie sheet.
- Use a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, or your clean thumb or index finger, to create a small indentation in the center of each cookie dough ball. Place one blotted dry maraschino cherry into the center of each indentation.24 maraschino cherries
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look slightly cracked.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cook on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Chocolate Cherry Glaze
- In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the semisweet chocolate chips and the sweetened condensed milk. Stirring frequently until smooth and glossy.1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of the maraschino cherry juice. Add up to an additional 1 tablespoon of maraschino cherry juice depending on your preferred consistency.1-2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- Transfer the chocolate cherry glaze to a piping bag with a small tip, a ziplock bag with the corner snipped, or a spoon, and drizzle the chocolate cherry frosting over top each cookie.
- Allow the frosting to set at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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