Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies (Printer-friendly)
Soft chocolate chip cookies bursting with sweet maraschino cherries.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
06 - ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
→ Add-ins
09 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, and chopped
11 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and packed light brown sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the flour is fully incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped maraschino cherries, and nuts if using, until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each portion approximately 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers should still appear soft and slightly underdone.
09 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of sweet cherries and melty chocolate creates little pockets of surprise in every single bite.
- They look bakery level impressive but come together with zero fancy techniques.
02 -
- Those cherries carry a surprising amount of liquid, so drain them well and press them between paper towels like you mean it.
- Underbaking by a tiny margin is the secret to a cookie that stays chewy for days rather than turning crisp after day one.
03 -
- If your dough feels too soft after folding everything in, pop the bowl in the fridge for twenty minutes and the butter will firm up enough to scoop cleanly.
- Rotate your baking sheets halfway through the bake time if your oven has hot spots, because cherry cookies with scorched edges are a genuine tragedy.