Honestly, every time I make these Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies, I think about the one Christmas when my cousin Jay tried to sneak the entire batch into his suitcase. He failed miserably — we heard the clattering of the cookie tin a mile away! But, seriously, these cookies have become a bit of a family legend; between the bright pops of cherry and those gooey chocolate bits, there’s not much to not love. Some days my kitchen looks like a cherry bomb went off, but hey, it’s worth it.
Why You'll Love These (Or At Least, Why I Do)
I make these when I crave a little something extra—regular chocolate chip cookies just feel a bit plain after you’ve tried them this way. My family goes bananas for them (well, not literally—no bananas here, promise), and I love the tiny splash of color those cherries add to the cookie plate at birthdays or, let’s be real, random Tuesdays. If I’m having a cranky day and craving sugar, this is what I bake.
That said, I once tried using some mystery jarred cherries instead of maraschino—big mistake; whole batch turned out kinda rubbery? Not worth it. Just stick to the proper stuff (or at least the bright red ones; your cookies deserve it!).
What You’ll Need (And What I Sometimes Sub In)
- 2 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour (I've used whole wheat once; a little dense, but not bad if you’re into that sort of thing)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt (I do a little extra pinch if I’m feeling salty)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (if I forget to melt it, I just let it sit out till soft — I know it’s not quite right, but it works)
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar (Grandma liked cane sugar, but regular white is fine, trust me)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (yes, a whole tablespoon; don’t skimp!)
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, chopped and patted dry (I sneak a few for myself while chopping, naturally)
- 1 heaping cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (sometimes I mix in dark chips if that’s what I’ve got, or even chopped chocolate bars — oooh so fancy)
- Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (but my nephew gives me the stink eye if I ever add nuts, so… up to you)
How I Pull These Together (It’s Not Rocket Science)
- Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment. Wax paper is NOT the same – trust me, it’ll just melt. Learned that the hard way once.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Don’t worry if your flour puffs up everywhere — just means you’re doing it with spirit.
- In another (bigger) bowl, beat your melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar till smooth and kinda glossy. I use an old wooden spoon, but a mixer is easier on your arms.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla. If it looks split or weird, don’t stress — it’ll sort itself out when you add the dry mix.
- Toss in the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Overmixing = tough cookies. No one likes a tough cookie (besides, you want the flavor, not an arm workout).
- Fold in your chopped cherries and chocolate chips — and nuts, if you’re feeling wild. This is usually where I snack on a bit of dough, which I maybe shouldn’t admit, but there it is.
- Scoop heaping tablespoons onto your prepped baking tray. Give them space, they spread out a tad.
- Bake for about 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden. Centers might look a touch soft; that’s perfect. Resist the urge to overbake — they harden as they cool.
- Cool on the tray for 5 min, then move to a wire rack. Unless you hate cleaning racks; sometimes I just leave them on the tray.
Notes—What I’ve Figured Out (Usually the Messy Way)
- If the dough seems a bit sticky, pop it in the fridge for 20 minutes. Makes a world of difference, especially if your kitchen’s warm.
- I used to never dry the cherries enough, and my cookies were practically pink soup. Now I squish them between paper towels till they’re barely damp.
- If you use mini chocolate chips, the cookies don’t get those big gooey pockets — depends what you’re into!
Let’s Talk Variations—Some Hits, a Miss, and a Happy Accident
- Swapping in white chocolate for the chips? Actually pretty good, although it’s super sweet — maybe worth trying if you’re sharing with kids.
- Once, I added coconut flakes thinking I was a baking genius. Turns out, nobody touched those. Felt a little silly; maybe not for everyone.
- Chopping the cherries even smaller gives a more subtle flavor, but bigger chunks look gorgeous — totally your call.
What Gear You’ll Need (and What to Do If You Don’t Have It)
- Mixing bowls (I usually commandeer the biggest salad bowl in the house).
- Baking tray, obviously. I’ve used an upside-down roasting pan once — it worked, sort of.
- Wire rack is handy, but a clean tea towel on the counter works in a pinch.
- Some sort of scooping thing — spoons, an ice cream scoop, or just your hands if you don’t mind getting sticky.
Keeping Them Fresh (But Will You Even Need To?)
Store in an airtight container at room temp, and they’ll keep for up to 4 days. But honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! I mean, who has that kind of willpower?
If You Want to Serve Them Fancy (Or Just Make Them Disappear)
We like dunking them in a glass of cold milk, classic style. My uncle swears they’re best with black coffee, though. Sometimes I turn them into ice cream sandwiches; highly recommend if it’s hot out.
The Lessons I’ve Learned—A Few Pro Tips, For What They’re Worth
- Don’t rush the cooling — I once tried peeling them off the tray too soon, and they all stuck like stubborn barnacles.
- Actually, I find it works better if you slightly underbake, then just let them sit — the centers stay gooey (yum!)
- If you get lazy drying cherries, your cookies might go a bit flat. I know, it’s a pain, but just do it; so worth it.
Questions I Actually Get (And My Honest Replies)
- Can I use fresh cherries instead of maraschino? Hmm, not really; fresh cherries have too much juice, and they won’t keep well in the dough. Plus, the flavor's way different (I tried once, but it ended up like a soggy fruitcake—wouldn’t recommend).
- Is there a way to make these gluten-free? Probably! I haven’t done it myself, but I’ve heard Meaningful Eats has a great GF chocolate chip cookie base. Just swap in your favorite GF flour and cross your fingers.
- Can I freeze the dough? You bet—just scoop it out, freeze on a tray, then toss the dough balls in a zip bag. Bake from frozen, just add a minute or two.
- Do I really need a wire rack? Nah, I use one if I remember, but honestly, a spread-out towel or even just leaving them on the tray isn’t the end of the world. The point is: eat the cookies.
- What brand of maraschino cherries do you use? I’ve grabbed everything from the store brand to Luxardo — both turn out tasty. Don’t lose sleep over it.
And if you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking around through my ramblings and recipe quirks. Hope your cookies turn out just how you like (and if they don’t, well, at least you’ve got dough to snack on — life’s too short not to sneak a taste now and then). Happy baking! If you get stuck, you can always find great troubleshooting tips at Sally's Baking Addiction — she explains stuff way better than I do!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
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1Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
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2In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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3In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
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4Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
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5Gently fold in chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips.
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6Drop spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes, until edges are golden. Cool on wire racks.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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