Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Soft, slightly tangy cookies packed with chopped maraschino cherries and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stirred carefully, chilled to develop flavors. Slightly underbaked for chewy centers. Sweet cherry syrup folded in the batter brings moistness and subtle cherry notes. Butter beaten, sugars combined to capture air for lightness. Flour, baking soda, salt balanced to provide structure and proper rise. Bake until edges firm but dough still shy of fully set. Press cherry halves atop post-bake for bursts of color and flavor. A play on texture contrasts and classic combos. Adaptable with dried cherries or rum instead of cherry syrup. A cookie to know when to pull from oven — look for cracks and a glistening dome still soft to the touch.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
13 min
Total:
28 min
Servings:
36 servings
#cookies
#cherry
#chocolate chip
#baking tips
#American dessert
Cherry chocolate chip combo, nothing new but done right? Took me a few tries to get texture just right — that chewy bite, subtle cherry pop without overly sweet or mushy bottoms. Maraschino syrup folds moisture deep in, not just sweetness. Butter creamed long till nearly cloud-white, nails crisp edges and soft middles. Chilling’s vital — dough too warm means flat cookies, too cold means won’t spread at all. Heat’s tuned to 350°F but timing depends on your oven hot spots and pan color. Look for cookies still glistening on top but edges turning golden; those seconds after oven remove are crucial for doneness. Cherry halves pressed gently on warm cookies bring freshness and a burst of color — a neat trick I’ve come to rely on. Semi-sweet chocolate chips? No milk here; sweetness balanced with cheer. My pantry alternatives swap cherries with dried cranberries; cherry syrup with vanilla bean paste or a touch of amaretto. Baking’s part science, part feel — watch, sniff, poke, learn when to pull and when to wait.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons maraschino cherry syrup or sub cherry liqueur
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries drained
- 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 36 maraschino cherry halves for topping
About the ingredients
Sift your flour blend with baking soda and salt; no lumps—especially important here to avoid dense patches. Brown sugar makes texture chewy, granulated sugar keeps it crisp around edges. Butter soft but not melting — room temp means easy creaming, traps air, key for light cookies. If no maraschino cherries, dried tart cherries soaked briefly in warm water or alcohol works. Cherry syrup adds moistness and flavor depth. Vanilla is the flavor anchor; don’t skimp. Eggs bind but also add moisture. Chocolate chips semi-sweet for balanced sweetness; dark chips can overshadow fruit, milk chips too sweet. For salt, fine sea or kosher preferred; table salt can be more intense, adjust accordingly. Refrigerating dough firms butter and prevents runaway spreading in oven — patience makes triangles of chewy, fluffy, crunchy all in one cookie. If you’re in a rush, 30 minutes chilling helps but longer is better. Options: swap cherry syrup for rum or cherry liqueur for adult twist. Or maraschino cherry liqueur if you can find it.
Method
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Makes sure no lumps linger. Sifting optional but helps aerate.
- Cream butter until pale, fluffy. Don’t rush. Patience traps air, gives lift and tender crumb.
- Slowly add granulated and brown sugars. Beat until seamless. Brown sugar adds chew; granulated balances sweetness.
- Beat in vanilla extract, eggs one at a time. Add cherry syrup last. Mix just enough to combine — avoid overworking.
- Fold dry ingredients in gently. Streaks of flour should vanish but avoid excess mixing. Over-beating triggers gluten, toughens cookies.
- Work in chopped cherries and chocolate chips. They bring texture: soft fruit bites and melty pockets.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap tight. Chill at least 1 hour, up to 24. Chilling firms dough for less spread and deeper flavor meld.
- Heat oven to 350°F set rack center. Line trays with parchment or silicone mat; prevents sticking, easy cleanup.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons dough; spaced about 2 inches apart. Dough will spread but not runaway if chilled well.
- Bake 11 to 16 minutes. Watch edges firm and turn golden first. Centers still shiny and soft indicate pull time. Resist urge to overbake.
- Out of oven, gently press a cherry half in center of each cookie. Embeds fruit neatly without cracking surface.
- Cool on sheets 7 to 10 minutes; cookies will set but remain chewy inside. Transfer to rack to finish cooling.
- Store airtight. Flavors develop further overnight but best eaten within 3 days.
- If no maraschino cherries, fresh pitted sweet cherries work dried works too—drain well to avoid sogginess. Cherry syrup can swap with rum or cherry brandy for boozy twist.
Cooking tips
Start with dry blend — mixing flour and leavening evenly stops surprises in texture. Cream butter till it looks fluffy and aerated — should lift and fall slowly when you lift the paddle. Add sugars gradually; quick dump risks graininess. Eggs at room temp incorporate better; cold eggs can curdle dough. Stir in cherry syrup last to integrate moisture evenly. Gentle fold dry mix in — overwork gluten tightens crumb and makes chew tough. Chopped cherries best folded last; chopping lets you control chunk size so fruit doesn’t overwhelm. Chocolate chips after keep them intact. Chill at least hour; dough stiffens and flavors meld—don’t skip, or cookies spread too thin. Spoon dough generously spaced; they’ll spread but not fuse. Oven heat at 350°F standard but adjust +-5 minutes depending on your equipment—watch visual cues: edges should be golden with tiny cracks, centers shiny but no raw dough. Pull too early, cookies collapse. Pull too late, dry brittle cookies. Pressing cherry halves on top after baking keeps their shine and interrupts baking so fruit doesn’t turn soft and dull. Cooling on pan lets heat redistribute, finishing set without drying. Store airtight; flavors deepen day after. If substitutions used, expect different moisture release and spread rates — adjust time or chill longer. If dough feels runny, add a little more flour sparingly. If cookies spread too much, chill dough longer and consider chilling baking tray too for sharper cookies. Good tools: silicone spatula for folding, medium cookie scoop for uniform size, light-colored pans for best browning control.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Chill dough minimum 1 hour, better close to 24. Chilling firms butter slows spread, deeper flavor meld. Also easier to scoop and handle. Dough too warm? Cookies flatten, lose chew. Too cold and might not spread enough. Ideal texture when dough cold but pliable. Refrigerate in airtight wrap tight to prevent drying out. If rushed, 30 minutes can help but less ideal for chew.
- 💡 Add cherry syrup last in wet mix phase; gentle fold only. Overmixing develops gluten — leads to tough crumb, not chewy. Watch texture of batter: streaks of flour vanish but no overwork. When folding cherries and chips, keep some chunks intact for texture bursts. Using dried cherries? Rehydrate briefly in warm water or a splash of rum to avoid dryness in final cookie.
- 💡 Bake on middle rack at 350°F. Bake time varies 11 to 16 minutes; check edges for firm golden change. Centers still shiny but not jiggly mean pull time. Overbake and you get brittle, dry cookies; underbake and raw dough. Use visual and touch cues: slight cracks on edges, dome glossy and soft. Ovens vary; watch doneness signals closely rather than rely on timer alone.
- 💡 Press cherry halves atop cookies immediately out of oven. Fruit embeds without cracking surface. Retains brightness and mild firmness. Pressing before baking can make cherries dull and overly soft. After baking, sharp contrast of chewy cookie, fresh fruit, melty chocolate. If no maraschino halves, dried cherries or fresh pitted also fine but add post-bake for freshness.
- 💡 Sugar ratio key for texture: brown sugar for chew, granulated for crisp edges. Beat sugars into softened butter gradually to avoid grainy dough. Room temp eggs blend smoother and prevent curdling batter. Salt fineness matters too; kosher or fine sea salt preferred. Table salt stronger—adjust accordingly. If dough too sticky, sprinkle flour sparingly, fold gently to keep chew intact.
Common questions
Can dried cherries replace maraschino?
Yes but soak dried cherries first—not long, 10 minutes in warm water or a splash of rum. Prevents dryness. Adds back moisture lost in drying process. Skip soak and cookies get chewy but dry chunks. Also flavor shifts, less sweet, more tart so balance sugar if needed.
How to tell when cookies are done?
Watch edges first; golden and firm. Center remains shiny but bounces slightly when touched. If cracks appear, that’s good sign not overbaked. Smell changes too—aroma of baked brown sugar and butter deepens near doneness. Pull too early and cookies collapse. Too late, dry crunchy.
Dough too sticky?
Chill dough longer. If still sticky, add a little flour in small increments. Don’t overdo flour or chew suffers. Also grease or parchment on baking sheet stops spreading issues. Silicone mats or lighter pans keep texture balanced. Oven temp can vary so if cookies run apart, try cooler temp or chill pans.
How to store leftover cookies?
Airtight container best to keep moisture inside, prevents drying out. Flavors blend overnight—chew firm but not dry. Freeze if longer keep needed; thaw at room temp. Avoid fridge unless very humid—sometimes makes them too soft or stale faster. Real talk: eat soon or freeze.
