The Best Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe: Easy, Chewy & Perfectly Pink
Prepare to fall in love with these absolutely delightful Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies! Boasting an abundance of vibrant cherry flavor, their charming pink hue creates a striking contrast with the rich, melty milk chocolate chips, making them an instant showstopper for any dessert table. Each bite delivers a perfect balance of sweet and slightly tart, ensuring these cookies are far from ordinary.
If you’re on the hunt for a simple yet impressive cookie recipe that’s ideal for parties, baby showers, holiday gatherings, or just a special everyday treat, this one is truly amazing. We’ve perfected this recipe over 15 years, ensuring that each soft and chewy cookie is generously loaded with juicy maraschino cherries and decadent chocolate. It’s no wonder they are consistently ranked among our Best Cherry Desserts!
Beyond their incredible taste, these cookies are undeniably gorgeous. The bright, cheerful pink color makes them particularly appealing and festive. Imagine serving them at a baby shower, perhaps alongside some delicate Homemade Butter Mints, for a beautifully coordinated spread. They add a pop of color and a burst of flavor that guests will adore.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Adore This Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Essential Ingredients for Perfect Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Step-by-Step: How to Make Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Proper Storage for Freshness
- Expert Tips for Baking Success
- Frequently Asked Questions About Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- More Irresistible Cherry Desserts
- More Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
Why You’ll Adore This Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
These cookies aren’t just easy to make; they are a truly special treat that brings joy with every bite. Their light and fluffy texture, combined with a delightful chewiness, makes them incredibly satisfying. The captivating pink hue, achieved with just a few drops of food coloring, adds an element of fun and visual appeal that’s hard to resist.
This recipe is designed to be effortlessly delicious and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. The combination of sweet maraschino cherries and rich chocolate chips creates a decadent flavor profile that is simply irresistible. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, you’ll find this recipe straightforward and rewarding. The stunning color and amazing taste ensure these cookies will be a memorable addition to any dessert platter, prompting requests for the recipe every time!
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Butter: Crucial for a rich, tender cookie. Ensure it’s softened at room temperature for optimal creaming with the sugars, which incorporates air and creates a light texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to the crispness of the cookie edges.
- Brown Sugar: The secret to wonderfully soft and chewy cookies. Its molasses content adds moisture and a delicious depth of flavor. If you ever run out, try making Homemade Brown Sugar Recipe!
- Large Egg: Acts as a binder and adds moisture. Using a room temperature egg helps it emulsify better with the butter and sugar, leading to a smoother, more uniform dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the other flavors. Pure vanilla extract offers the best, most aromatic results.
- All-Purpose Flour: The structural base of your cookies. Remember to spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a straight edge; scooping directly from the bag can compact the flour, leading to too much dry ingredient and potentially dense, dry cookies.
- Baking Soda: Our key leavening agent, which reacts with the acidic brown sugar to help the cookies rise and spread, creating that perfect soft texture. Need a substitute? Check out our guide to Best Baking Soda Substitutes.
- Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing the overall flavor profile of the cookies. Don’t skip it!
- Maraschino Cherries: Drained and finely chopped, these are the stars! They provide the signature fruity flavor and contribute to the beautiful pink color. Ensure they are well-drained to avoid adding excess moisture to the dough.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: These add a classic, rich chocolate element that pairs beautifully with the cherries. Feel free to experiment with dark chocolate for a more intense flavor or milk chocolate for a sweeter profile.
- Pink Food Coloring: Optional, but highly recommended if you want to achieve that gorgeous, festive pink color. Just a few drops will transform your dough into a visual delight. You can omit it if you prefer a more natural-looking cookie.
You can find the complete, precise measurements for each ingredient and the full recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Station. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). It’s crucial for even baking that your oven is at the correct temperature before the cookies go in. Line your baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This prevents sticking, promotes even baking, and makes for super easy cleanup!
Step 2: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking ensures that the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is key for a consistent rise and flavor in your cookies. Set this mixture aside for now.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until it’s smooth and fluffy. Then, add both the granulated sugar and brown sugar, continuing to mix for about 2 minutes. This creaming process is vital as it incorporates air, creating a light and tender crumb in your finished cookies.
Step 4: Add Wet Ingredients. Mix in the room temperature large egg and vanilla extract. Continue to beat until all the wet ingredients are thoroughly combined and incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture, ensuring a smooth base for your dough.
Step 5: Gradually Add Flour. Lower the mixer speed to low. Gradually add the whisked flour mixture into the butter mixture, mixing only until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can develop the gluten too much, resulting in tough cookies.
Step 6: Add Food Coloring. If you desire the signature pink color, add a few drops of pink food coloring to the dough. Mix on low speed until the color is evenly distributed throughout, creating a beautifully uniform pink dough.
Step 7: Fold in Mix-Ins. Gently fold in the drained and chopped maraschino cherries and the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Using a spatula for this step (rather than the mixer) helps prevent the cherries from breaking down too much and ensures the chocolate chips remain intact.
Step 8: Gentle Folding is Key. As mentioned, it’s crucial not to use the mixer for this final step. Gently fold the cherries and chocolate chips into the dough with a spatula until they are just evenly distributed. This ensures the best texture and appearance for your baked cookies.
Step 9: Portion and Place. Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5-2 tablespoons) to portion out the cookie dough into uniform balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are approximately 2 inches apart to allow for proper spreading during baking. Uniform size leads to uniform baking.
Step 10: Bake to Perfection. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Keep an eye on them; the cookies are done when their edges are lightly golden brown and the centers still look slightly soft. Overbaking can lead to dry cookies, so pull them out as soon as they reach this stage.
Step 11: Cool and Enjoy. Once baked, allow the cookies to remain on the hot baking sheet for about 5 minutes. This crucial resting period allows them to set and firm up, preventing them from crumbling when you move them. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Enjoy these delightful treats!
Proper Storage for Freshness
To keep your leftover Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies as fresh and soft as possible, store them in an airtight container or a resealable bag at room temperature. They will maintain their deliciousness for up to 1 week. For an extra tip to preserve their chewiness, try placing a slice of fresh bread (a regular sandwich bread slice works great) inside the container with the cookies. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, helping them stay soft and moist for longer.
Expert Tips for Baking Success
- Dry the Cherries Thoroughly: This is a critical step! After draining your maraschino cherries, spread them out on a few layers of paper towels and gently pat them dry. Excess moisture can make your cookie dough too wet, leading to flat or soggy cookies. It also prevents the red dye from bleeding too much into your dough.
- Experiment with Chocolate Varieties: While semi-sweet chocolate chips are a classic choice, don’t hesitate to get creative. Try dark chocolate chips for a richer, more intense contrast to the sweet cherries, or opt for milk chocolate chips for an even sweeter, creamier bite. White chocolate chips would also offer a beautiful visual appeal and a different flavor dynamic. You can even combine a few different types!
- Add a Crunch with Chopped Nuts: For an additional layer of texture and flavor, consider folding in ½ cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans along with the cherries and chocolate chips. The nutty crunch complements the soft cookies and sweet fruit wonderfully.
- Allow the Cookies to Rest on the Pan: It’s tempting to move warm cookies immediately, but resist the urge! Allowing them to sit on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes after baking lets them firm up and set properly. Trying to move them too soon can cause them to break or crumble, especially when they are still delicate and warm.
- Food Coloring for Perfect Pink: If you don’t have pink food coloring on hand, you can easily substitute it with 1 to 2 drops of red food coloring to achieve a similar lovely pink shade. Adjust the amount based on your desired color intensity, adding a drop at a time until you reach your preferred hue.
- Boost Flavor with Almond Extract: For an even more profound cherry-like aroma and taste, consider adding ¼ teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla extract. Almond and cherry flavors are a classic pairing that truly elevates these cookies.
- Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Always ensure your butter is properly softened at room temperature (it should be pliable but still hold its shape) and your egg is also at room temperature. This allows all the ingredients to combine more smoothly and evenly, creating a uniform dough and a better-textured cookie.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: After adding the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense cookies rather than the desired soft and chewy texture.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Freezing cookie dough is a fantastic way to prepare ahead and enjoy freshly baked cookies anytime! To do this, prepare the dough as normal and scoop it into individual cookie dough balls using your cookie scoop. Place these dough balls onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, but do not bake them. Instead, flash freeze them for 1 to 2 hours, or until they are solid. Once frozen, transfer the solid dough balls to a freezer-safe container or a resealable freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as normal. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time (usually 2-4 minutes) since they are starting from frozen. Get even more details and learn how to freeze cookie dough effectively.
If you have leftover baked cookies or want to make a big batch in advance, freezing them is easy! First, allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Once fully cooled, place them in a freezer bag or an airtight freezer-safe container. To prevent them from sticking together or getting squashed, we recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper in between layers of cookies if stacking. Freeze them for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator, or let them come to room temperature on the counter for about 30 minutes. They’ll taste almost as fresh as the day they were baked!
Yes, you absolutely can substitute dried cherries in this recipe for maraschino cherries! This will give your cookies a slightly different flavor and texture profile. Dried cherries will typically provide a more concentrated, tart cherry flavor and a chewier texture compared to the juicy, sweeter maraschino cherries. If using dried cherries, you might want to rehydrate them briefly in warm water or a little cherry juice for about 15-20 minutes, then drain and chop, to prevent them from drying out your cookies. Ultimately, the choice comes down to personal preference; both options yield delicious results.
Using fresh cherries is possible, but requires a bit more preparation. You’ll need to pit and chop them, similar to the maraschino cherries. However, fresh cherries contain significantly more moisture. To prevent a soggy cookie dough, we highly recommend roasting or cooking the fresh cherries briefly to reduce their water content before adding them to the dough. This also concentrates their flavor. If you choose this route, dry them thoroughly after cooking, perhaps with a dusting of a little flour to absorb any remaining surface moisture.
These Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies are more than just a dessert; they’re a celebration in every bite. With their soft, chewy texture, burst of sweet cherry flavor, and rich chocolate, these beautifully pink cookies are guaranteed to become a family favorite and a go-to for any gathering. They’re simple to make, yet yield truly impressive results.
We’re confident you are going to absolutely love baking and sharing this recipe. We encourage you to try it out and experience the joy of these delightful cookies for yourself. When you do, make sure to come back and leave a comment and a star rating. We genuinely love getting your feedback and hearing about your baking successes!
More Irresistible Cherry Desserts
If you can’t get enough of that wonderful cherry flavor, explore these other fantastic recipes:
- Chocolate Cherry Cake Recipe: A decadent and moist cake combining the richness of chocolate with sweet cherries.
- Easy Cherry Fluff Recipe: A light, airy, and refreshing no-bake dessert, perfect for picnics and potlucks.
- Cherry Dump Cake Recipe: Incredibly simple to make with minimal effort, resulting in a warm, fruity, and comforting dessert.
- The Best Cherry Limeade Cupcakes: A fun and zesty twist, offering a burst of sweet and tart flavors in cupcake form.
More Delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
For those who love classic chocolate chip cookies and want to try new variations, here are some other incredible recipes:
- Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies: A fruity twist on the classic, featuring sweet strawberries.
- Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe: Recreate the famous bakery-style cookies at home.
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies: A delightful combination of sweet, salty, and chewy.
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe: Our go-to recipe for perfectly classic chocolate chip cookies every time.
- Crumbl Chocolate Chip Cookies: A copycat recipe to enjoy those large, soft, and famous cookies at home.
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Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter softened at room temperature
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Large Egg room temperature
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 2/3 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 cup drained chopped Maraschino Cherries
- 1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Pink Food Coloring
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
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Beat the butter in a large mixing bowl with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer until smooth and fluffy. Then add in the sugars and mix for approximately 2 minutes.
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Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined.
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Lower the speed on the mixer to low and then slowly add in the flour mixture into the butter mixer until just combined. Add a few drops of the pink food coloring and mix until the color is even throughout the dough.
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Carefully fold in the chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
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Use a cookie scoop to place the cookie dough in on baking sheets approximately 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges of the cookies are slightly golden brown.
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Let the cookie sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then move to wire racks to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
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