Chocolate Cherry Cookies

Cherries and chocolate just might be one of the most perfect flavor pairings, and these chocolate cherry cookies are proof. This recipe, shared by Taste of Home reader Trisha Kruse of Eagle, Idaho, is what happens when a classic double chocolate chip cookie gets a glow-up. The chocolate cookie base is chewy and studded with fudgy pockets of chocolate chunks. But then comes the fun part: dried cherries tucked into every bite for the ideal pop of sweet-tart contrast.

This cookie recipe is simple enough for beginner bakers, but the chocolate-covered cherry vibe makes them feel a little elevated. While this recipe makes a fairly small batch, it can easily be doubled or tripled if you need a larger batch for a party, bake sale or cookie swap.

Ingredients for Chocolate Cherry Cookies

• Butter: To properly cream butter and sugar, your butter needs to be softened to room temperature—cold butter just won’t whip up smoothly with the sugar. When butter and sugar are beaten together, air is incorporated into the mixture, which helps give these cookies a soft, tender texture.
• Sugar: Regular granulated sugar does double duty here, sweetening the dough and helping create that light, fluffy texture during the creaming step. It also helps the cookies spread just the right amount in the oven.
• Egg: The egg serves as a binder, keeping all the other ingredients together. It adds structure so the cookies hold their shape instead of flattening out too much.
• Milk: Just a splash of 2% milk loosens the dough slightly and keeps everything moist and easy to stir. Whole milk or half-and-half can be used as a milk substitute if that’s what you have in the fridge.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla rounds out the chocolate notes and keeps the cookies from tasting flat or one-note. For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract.
• All-purpose flour: No fancy flour needed here! Good old all-purpose flour gives these cookies the perfect structure and keeps them soft and chewy.
• Baking cocoa: This is where the deep chocolate flavor comes from. Using cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate lets you control the moisture level in the cookies. The cocoa powder also has an acidic profile and helps activate the baking soda.
• Baking soda: A small amount of baking soda helps the cookies rise and spread just enough.
• Semisweet chocolate: Using larger chunks rather than smaller chips ensures gooey pockets of chocolate in every bite.
• Dried cherries: This dried fruit is the star ingredient that sets these cookies apart. Its sweet-tart flavor balances the richness of the chocolate, and it brings a chewy contrast to each cookie.

Directions

Step 1: Make the batter

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until they’re light and fluffy, about five to seven minutes. Beat in the egg, then mix in the milk and vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a dough forms.

Fold in the chocolate chunks and dried cherries until they’re evenly distributed.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t rush the creaming step! It might seem long, but it keeps these cookies from becoming dense.

Step 2: Scoop the dough

Lightly coat baking sheets with cooking spray. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between the cookies so they have room to spread.

Step 3: Bake the cookies

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they’re firm. Let them cool on the baking sheet for one minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Chocolate Cherry Cookies Variations

• Go heavy on the cherries: If you’re the type who picks the cherries out of trail mix first, this variation is for you. Increase the dried cherries from 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup or even a full cup to get more fruity goodness in each cookie.
• Mix up the fruit: Cherries and chocolate are a classic pairing, but don’t be afraid to play around. Dried blueberries, golden raisins or apricots all pair well with chocolate. Be sure to cut any larger dried fruits into bite-sized pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the dough.
• Change the chocolate: Semisweet chocolate keeps things balanced, but you can easily switch up the flavor by swapping in other types of chocolate chunks. Dark chocolate makes the cookies richer and a little more sophisticated, while white chocolate creates a sweeter cookie.

How to Store Chocolate Cherry Cookies

These chocolate cherry cookies keep well at room temperature for up to four days. Once they’ve cooled, transfer them to an airtight cookie storage container to keep them soft and chewy.

To keep cookies soft, tuck a piece of bread into the container. It’s an old-school baking trick that helps maintain moisture so the cookies don’t dry out and harden as they sit.

Can you freeze chocolate cherry cookies?

Yes, these chocolate cherry cookies can be frozen for longer storage. Wrap each cookie individually in freezer-safe storage wrap, then place them in a freezer bag or airtight container. They’ll keep for up to two months.

When you’re ready to enjoy a cookie or two, let them thaw at room temperature, or warm them briefly in the microwave or oven until they’re soft and tender again.

Chocolate Cherry Cookie Tips

Can you use fresh cherries or maraschino cherries in cherry chocolate cookies?

While fresh cherries or maraschino cherries may sound like a fun swap, they’re not a great substitute for dried cherries in this recipe. Both types of cherries contain a lot of moisture. Even if you pat them dry after chopping, they can release too much liquid as the cookies bake, changing the texture and keeping the cookies from baking up quite right.

This is really a recipe to save for dried cherries, which give you that chewy texture and fruity flavor without adding extra moisture. If you’re craving a fresh-cherry cookie, try a recipe specifically developed for them, like these chocolate-covered cherry cookies or maraschino cherry cookies.

Can you use parchment paper instead of using cooking spray?

Absolutely! If you don’t want to use cooking spray or just don’t have it on hand, parchment paper makes cleanup super easy. It’s naturally nonstick, so the cookies should lift right off once they’ve cooled for a minute. If the cookies stick at first, they usually release easily as they set up.

How do you stop dried cherries from clumping together in the batter?

Dried cherries can sometimes stick together right out of the bag, making it tricky to evenly distribute them into the dough. The easiest fix is to gently break them apart with your fingers before adding them in. You can also toss them with a spoonful of the flour from the recipe to prevent clumping.

If you’ve got a few leftover cherries after baking, don’t let them go to waste! Put them to use in these oatmeal cherry cookies, sprinkle them over yogurt or add them to homemade granola.