Add some natural coloring to chocolate chip cookies for a sweet treat. These cherry chocolate cookies are a great recipe for the holidays or just because.
Adding some cherry flavor to a traditional chocolate chip cookie is a perfect way to turn it into a Valentine’s Day treat. The cherry juice gives them a pink color and the cherries are a great springtime taste.
A lot of recipes like this will include red or pink food coloring. But I wanted to keep them more natural. I don’t like adding dyes when they aren’t necessary. Adding extra cherry juice will tint the maraschino cherry chocolate chip cookies enough without it.
Serving Suggestions & Tips
- This cookie recipe is different from most since you don’t have to keep the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separate as you prepare the cookie dough.
- For easier cleanup, line your cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Before placing the cherry in the center of each cookie, use your thumb to make an indent. This prevents the cherry from tearing or breaking when you press it into the dough.
- Make sure to use maraschino cherries for this. Dried cherries won’t cook the same or help keep the cookie moist in the middle.
- For dark chocolate cherry cookies, replace the semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks.
- Chocolate lovers will also enjoy adding a scoop of cocoa powder to the flour mixture to make chocolate cookies with cherries and chocolate chunks.
- Serve these sweet treats as part of a holiday cookie tray with a tall glass of cold milk.
Cherry Chocolate Cookies Step by Step
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract (or almond extract)
- 1/2 tsp juice from the cherry jar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup maraschino cherries, drained (juice reserved) and finely chopped
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 24 maraschino cherries
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Cream the softened butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer or a stand mixer.
Add the egg, extracts, and cherry juice and mix on low speed to combine.
Gradually add the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Fold in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto a baking sheet.
Gently press a full cherry into the center of the cookie dough.
Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until just set and before turning brown.
Cool on the pan for 10-12 minutes before moving to a wire rack.
Cherry Chocolate Cookies Leftovers
Storage: Any leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Ours lasted for about 5 days, but this will depend on the humidity in your home.
Recipe
Originally Published On: November 7, 2022
Last Updated On: March 12, 2025
Cherry Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp coconut extract (or almond extract)
- 1/2 tsp juice from the cherry jar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup maraschino cherries (drained (juice reserved) and finely chopped)
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 24 maraschino cherries
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl
- Add the egg, extracts, and cherry juice and mix to combine
- Gradually add the flour, baking soda, and salt
- Fold in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips
- Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto a baking sheet
- Gently press a full cherry into the center of the cookie dough
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until just set and before turning brown
- Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
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I love cherry and chocolate together. It’s such a delicious combo, and this recipe looks like it takes full advantage of that.
Oh, wow! Can it get any better than cookies loaded with cherry, chocolate, and coconut? No. The answer is no. Love it.
I love cookies and my daughter loves to bake. And your recipe will be perfect match for both of us. It looks so tempting. Will try it soon. Thanks for sharing!!
This look so yummy, I think we tried something like this but with a different flavor. It looks good with cherry and chocolate.
Nnniiiccceeeee…this is a new style of chocolate cookies to me. I am very interested in trying them out on a weekend, not far from now.
That’s such a smart idea. I’ve never even thought of making cookies that way.
Omgoodness… these look so good! I can’t wait to make these for the holidays! Thank you!
These cookies look so yummy! I bet these would make a great holiday treat!
Oh yummy! I have never tried these before and will bake them for sure. I love cherries and any chocolate chip cookie. Thank you for sharing 🙂