Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip (Printable)
Sweet, buttery cookies bursting with chocolate chunks and vibrant maraschino cherries for a colorful twist on the classic treat.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking soda
03 - ½ tsp 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 tsp 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:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed. Set aside.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour in the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the creamed butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until the flour is no longer visible. Do not overmix.
06 - Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the chocolate chips and chopped maraschino cherries into the dough by hand. Add the chopped nuts at this stage if using.
07 - Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing each portion about 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 slightly soft and underbaked.
09 - Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The juicy bursts of cherry hidden inside each bite make these disappear from cookie jars faster than anything else I bake.
- They look gorgeous on a holiday platter without any extra decorating effort whatsoever.
02 -
- Soggy cherries will ruin your dough, so drain them well and press them between paper towels until they feel almost dry to the touch.
- Underbaking slightly is the real secret to that chewy, bakery style center everyone loves.
03 -
- Chop your cherries fairly small so they distribute evenly and every bite gets a little burst of fruit.
- Rotate your baking sheets halfway through the bake time for even browning, especially if your oven has hot spots like mine does.