Cherry Chip Cookies
These Cherry Chip Cookies are soft, buttery drop cookies loaded with finely chopped maraschino cherries and sweet cherry baking chips, all tucked into a tender dough perfumed with almond and vanilla extract. A splash of maraschino cherry juice tints the dough a gorgeous pale pink and adds subtle fruity flavor throughout. They bake up with lightly crisp edges, irresistibly chewy centers, and a bakery-style appearance that makes them perfect for holiday cookie exchanges, Valentine's Day, or any day you want a little something special.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl For dry ingredients
- Hand mixer or stand mixer Stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment works best
- Rubber spatula For scraping down the bowl and folding in mix-ins
- Whisk For combining dry ingredients
- Medium cookie scoop About 1.5 tablespoons capacity; ensures uniform cookie size
- Baking sheets Rimmed half-sheet pans; 2 required
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats Prevents sticking and promotes even browning
- Wire cooling rack
- Paper towels For blotting maraschino cherries completely dry
- Knife and cutting board For finely chopping the cherries
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Fine-mesh strainer For draining maraschino cherries and collecting cherry juice
- Small bowl For reserving the maraschino cherry juice
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 280g; spooned and leveled, not scooped
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch Keeps cookies extra soft and tender
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter 170g; softened to room temperature (1.5 sticks)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar 50g; packed
- 1 large egg Room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk Room temperature; adds richness and chewiness
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp maraschino cherry juice Reserved from the jar; tints dough pale pink and adds cherry flavor
Mix-Ins
- 1 cup maraschino cherries About 30 cherries; well-drained, blotted completely dry, and finely chopped
- 1 cup cherry baking chips Also called cherry morsels or sweet cherry chips; plus extra for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Drain the maraschino cherries through a fine mesh strainer, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice in a small bowl. Spread cherries on paper towels, press dry, and finely chop into small pieces; set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position racks in the upper-middle and lower-middle positions. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes until light, pale, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, almond extract, vanilla extract, and reserved maraschino cherry juice to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes until fully combined and creamy.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined, stopping as soon as a few flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries and cherry baking chips until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Use a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons) to portion dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Optionally press a few extra cherry chips on top of each ball.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pans top to bottom at the 6-minute mark, until edges are set and lightly golden but centers still look slightly underdone. Do not overbake.
- Cool cookies on the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 more minutes before serving. Cookies firm up and develop their chewy texture as they cool.
Notes
- Blot maraschino cherries completely dry before adding to the dough. Excess moisture is the number one cause of flat, spreading cookies.
- Use room temperature butter and eggs. Cold butter will not cream properly, and cold eggs can cause the batter to curdle.
- Do not skip the cornstarch. It interrupts gluten development slightly and is what gives these cookies their soft, bakery-style texture.
- Underbake slightly. Pull the cookies when the centers still look a little glossy and underdone. They continue cooking on the hot pan after removal from the oven.
- For thicker cookies, refrigerate the scooped dough balls for 30 minutes before baking, especially in warm kitchens.
- Cherry baking chips can be hard to find in stores. Check the baking aisle of specialty grocery stores or order online. Log House and Hershey both make cherry morsels.
- Substitute chocolate chips (semisweet or dark) for the cherry chips if you can't find them. The combination of maraschino cherries and chocolate is a classic pairing.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Add a slice of bread to the container to keep them soft.
- Freeze unbaked dough balls on a lined sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to a zip-lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes.
- To revive day-old cookies, microwave individual cookies for 8 to 10 seconds to restore that fresh-baked softness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1CookieCalories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 30mgFiber: 0.5gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 4IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 4mg
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