Description
Thick and chewy cherry cookies packed with sweet maraschino cherries and rich chocolate chips, offering a playful pop of color and a perfectly balanced fruity-chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
Pink gel food coloring, to desired shade
1 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a mixer for 1–2 minutes until smooth.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing until fully combined.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until a dough forms. The dough may appear crumbly at first but will come together.
- Add pink gel food coloring a few drops at a time, mixing until the desired color is reached.
- Gently fold in the chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop the chilled dough into balls, smooth with your hands, and place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 13–14 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers remain soft.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Chilling the dough helps the cookies stay thick and chewy.
White chocolate chips can be substituted for a sweeter flavor.
Do not overbake; cookies firm up as they cool.
Maraschino cherries work best due to their sweetness and low moisture.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 165 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 95 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 22 mg
