Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies (Printable)
Soft, chewy cookies studded with chocolate chips and sweet maraschino cherries.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
03 - ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
06 - 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Add-Ins
09 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 - ¾ cup maraschino cherries, drained, patted dry, and chopped
11 - ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the creamed butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Gently fold in the chocolate chips, chopped maraschino cherries, and walnuts (if using) with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
07 - Drop tablespoon-sized scoops of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
08 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set but still soft.
09 - Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cherries melt slightly during baking and create little pockets of sweetness that pair beautifully with the chocolate.
- They look festive without any extra effort, making them perfect for holiday cookie trays or weekend baking with kids.
02 -
- Wet cherries will make your cookies spread too thin and taste gummy, so press them between paper towels aggressively.
- Underbaking by about one minute keeps them chewy for days instead of turning crisp overnight.
03 -
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm, which prevents the butter from melting too fast in the oven.
- Chop the cherries fairly small so every bite gets a bit of fruit without large wet spots in the cookie.