Maraschino cherry chocolate chip cookies bring juicy cherry pieces and melty chocolate into a soft, buttery cookie that bakes up golden around the edges.
This batch makes 24 cookies from simple pantry items, with 15 minutes of mixing and 12 minutes in the oven. The dough scoops cleanly, spreads just enough, and stays chewy for days, so it works for lunch boxes, bake sales, and late night cravings.
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Why This Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Works
Equal parts white sugar and brown sugar give the cookies crisp edges and a chewy middle. The brown sugar adds moisture and a light caramel flavor that pairs well with sweet cherries and chocolate.
Draining the cherries and patting them dry keeps extra syrup out of the dough. That means the cookies hold their shape instead of turning cakey or spreading too thin on the pan.
Creaming softened butter with the sugars builds a light base that carries the chips and fruit evenly. One bowl for the dry mix and one for the wet mix keeps the work quick and cleanup simple.
Ingredients for Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
Butter. Use unsalted butter softened to cool room temperature so it creams into a pale, fluffy base without turning greasy.
Sugars. The white sugar crisps the edges while the packed brown sugar keeps the centers soft and chewy.
Flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off, since packing it in makes the cookies dry and thick.
Chocolate chips. Semisweet chips balance the sweetness of the fruit, though milk or dark chips also work well.
Cherries. Drain the jar, chop the cherries small, and blot them on paper towels so they do not tint the dough pink.
How to Make Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Heat the oven and prep the pans Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Setting everything up first lets the dough go straight from the bowl to the oven.
2. Cream the butter and sugars Beat the butter with both sugars for about 2 minutes, until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl once so no streaks of butter remain.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla Mix in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Stop as soon as the batter looks smooth to keep the cookies tender.
4. Fold in the dry mix Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together, then stir them in on low speed until only a few dry streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped cherries by hand.
5. Scoop and bake Drop rounded tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart on the sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look golden and the centers still look slightly soft.
6. Cool on the pan Let the cookies rest on the hot pan for 5 minutes so they set, then slide them to a wire rack to cool fully.
How to Serve Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Serve the cookies warm with a cold glass of milk, or sandwich two around a scoop of malted milk toffee crunch ice cream for a fun dessert. On a dessert table, they sit well beside dark chocolate mousse and fudgy chocolate chunk brownies. For an afternoon snack, pair a couple with a cold banana blueberry smoothie.
How to Store and Reheat Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, placing parchment paper between layers. Freeze baked cookies in a zip top bag for up to 3 months and thaw them at room temperature. You can also freeze scooped dough balls and bake them straight from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the time.
Tips and Variations for Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chill for thicker cookies. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm, which slows spreading and deepens the flavor.
Measure the flour with care. Too much flour makes cookies cakey, so spoon it into the cup and level it instead of scooping.
Blot the cherries. Press the chopped cherries between paper towels, because extra syrup makes the dough sticky and tints it pink.
Use a cookie scoop. Equal portions bake evenly, and a scoop gives you 24 uniform cookies with less mess. Rotate the pans halfway through if your oven has hot spots.
Try a different chocolate. White chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate also pair well with cherries.
Skip the raw dough. Do not taste the dough, since it contains raw eggs and raw flour that need to be baked first.
Flag the allergens. These cookies contain wheat, milk, egg, and soy, so label them when sharing.
Check trusted guidance. For general advice on storing baked goods and leftovers, see the Purdue Extension guide to storing leftovers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Can I make maraschino cherry chocolate chip cookies ahead of time?
Yes. Scoop the dough onto a tray, freeze the balls until firm, and keep them in a zip top bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen and add 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
Why are my maraschino cherry chocolate chip cookies spreading too much?
Warm butter, too little flour, or wet cherries are the usual causes. Use softened but cool butter, measure the flour carefully, blot the cherries, and chill the dough for 30 minutes.
How do I store maraschino cherry chocolate chip cookies?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Separate the layers with parchment paper to protect the cherry pieces.
Can I use fresh or frozen cherries instead?
Fresh cherries are tart and juicy, so chop them small and add a little extra sugar. Frozen cherries should be thawed and drained well before using. The cookies will taste less sweet than with maraschino cherries.
Can I use baking powder instead of baking soda?
You can use 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, but the cookies will be puffier and paler. Baking soda reacts with the brown sugar for a chewier, browner cookie.
Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Cookie scoop
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cup all purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries drained well and patted dry
Instructions
Cooking
- Prep. Set the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream. Beat the butter and both sugars for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Mix the dough. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt, stir into the wet mixture just until combined, then fold in the chocolate chips and blotted cherries.
- Scoop and bake. Portion rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers look just set.
- Cool. Rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
