Irresistible Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies: Your New Favorite Festive Treat!
Indulge in thick, chewy cookies generously studded with vibrant maraschino cherries and abundant chocolate chips! These Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies offer a delightful and festive twist on a classic, perfect for Valentine’s Day, holidays, or simply brightening any ordinary day.
When special occasions like Valentine’s Day roll around, I find myself drawn to all things pink and lovely. These Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies fit that bill perfectly, bringing a pop of vibrant color and an explosion of delightful flavor to your cookie jar. While their pretty pink hue makes them ideal for celebrating love, these cookies are truly a year-round treat. The optional pink food coloring adds a playful touch, but even without it, their taste is utterly irresistible.
The pairing of cherry and chocolate isn’t just a classic; it’s a culinary masterpiece. Think of those beloved chocolate-covered cherries that often appear during holiday seasons – their exquisite blend of rich chocolate and sweet, tangy cherry is simply divine. Why should we limit such a perfect flavor combination to just one time of year? These cookies are a testament to how wonderfully cherry and chocolate complement each other, offering a delightful way to enjoy this iconic duo in a chewy, comforting form.
Our Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies are generously loaded with both semi-sweet chocolate chips and finely chopped maraschino cherries. But here’s where the magic truly happens: to elevate that bright cherry flavor and ensure it harmonizes beautifully with the chocolate, we swap out traditional vanilla extract for almond extract. The subtle, nutty undertones of almond extract create an incredibly nuanced and irresistible flavor profile that truly makes these cookies a match made in heaven!
Crafting Your Perfect Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide
Making these delightful cherry chocolate chip cookies is a straightforward process that yields incredibly rewarding results. We’ll guide you through each step to ensure your cookies turn out thick, chewy, and bursting with flavor. For the full, printable recipe card with exact measurements, be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post.
- Creaming the Foundation: Begin by creaming together your softened butter with both light brown sugar and granulated sugar. This step is crucial for achieving that wonderfully fluffy texture that forms the base of a great cookie. Beat them together for a good two minutes until the mixture is light, airy, and pale in color.
- Infusing Flavor and Color: Next, incorporate the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully blended before adding the next. Stir in the distinctive almond extract, which beautifully enhances the cherry flavor. This is also the stage to add a few drops of red food coloring if you desire those festive pink cookies. Remember, the pink tint is entirely optional, but it certainly adds a fun visual appeal!
- Bringing in the Dry Ingredients: Gently mix in your dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Mix just until everything is combined and no streaks of dry flour remain. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies, so aim for just-combined. The cornstarch here is our secret weapon for that extra chewy, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Folding in the Stars: Now for the delicious mix-ins! Carefully fold in your well-drained and chopped maraschino cherries along with the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Distribute them evenly throughout the dough to ensure every bite is packed with cherry and chocolate goodness.
- Chill for Perfection: Don’t skip the chilling step! Refrigerating the dough for at least 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld, the butter to firm up, and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking. Once chilled, scoop uniform balls of dough onto a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake to Golden Perfection: Bake in a preheated oven until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are still slightly soft. This ensures a perfectly chewy interior. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips for Flawless Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Achieving the perfect Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies is easy with a few insider tips. These pointers will help you navigate potential challenges and ensure your cookies are nothing short of spectacular.
- Thoroughly Drain Your Cherries: Maraschino cherries contain a significant amount of moisture, and too much liquid can affect your cookie dough consistency. To prevent soggy cookies, it’s absolutely essential to drain them exceptionally well. I recommend pouring them into a small strainer and allowing them to sit for at least 10-15 minutes while you gather and prepare your other ingredients. For an extra measure, you can even gently pat them dry with a paper towel after chopping. This step makes a big difference in the final texture of your cookies.
- Embrace the Sticky Dough: Even with careful draining, the cherries will release some moisture into the dough. You might notice the dough feels a bit sticky – this is completely normal and expected! Resist the urge to add more flour to compensate, as this will lead to dry, dense cookies. Trust the process; the cookies will bake up beautifully thick and chewy. A cookie scoop can be particularly helpful here for managing the sticky dough.
- Customize Your Chocolate: While semi-sweet chocolate chips are my go-to for this recipe, feel free to experiment with your favorite chocolate varieties. Dark chocolate chips will add a deeper, more intense contrast to the sweet cherries, while milk chocolate chips will create an even sweeter, milder profile. White chocolate chunks or chips would also be absolutely delicious, offering a creamy counterpoint. You can even mix and match different types of chocolate or include other additions like chopped nuts for extra crunch.
- For Picture-Perfect Cookies: If you’re aiming for that bakery-quality, magazine-spread look, here’s a simple trick. After scooping your balls of dough onto the baking sheet, gently press a few extra chocolate chips and pieces of chopped maraschino cherry onto the tops of each dough ball just before they go into the oven. As the cookies bake and spread, these additions will remain visible on the surface, making your cookies look extra appealing and delicious.
- The Food Coloring is Optional: The red food coloring is purely for aesthetic appeal and creating that festive pink hue. I typically use about 7-8 drops of liquid red food coloring to achieve the color shown in my photos. If you have gel food coloring, it often provides a more vibrant and consistent color with fewer drops. However, if you prefer not to use food coloring, simply omit it! Your cookies will still be incredibly flavorful and delightful, appearing like classic chocolate chip cookies with a beautiful pop of red from the cherries – which is perfectly wonderful too!
These Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies are wonderfully versatile, making them a fantastic addition to almost any occasion. Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, decorating for Christmas, hosting a summer tea party, or simply craving something sweet on a quiet Tuesday afternoon, these cookies are always a hit. Who needs an excuse to bake a batch of delicious homemade cookies?
If you have a little one who adores the color pink, these cookies would be an absolute sensation for a birthday party, a princess-themed gathering, or a charming tea party. Their whimsical color and delightful taste are sure to bring smiles to tiny faces.
Ultimately, if you’re a devoted fan of maraschino cherries and the exquisite flavor of chocolate-covered cherries, then these cookies were truly made for you. They are incredibly easy to prepare, offering a fun, flavorful, and vibrant twist on your traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe. Get ready to bake a batch that will impress everyone!
Explore More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Love baking cookies? Here are some other fantastic cookie recipes you might enjoy trying next:
- Lime Cooler Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Soft Monster Cookies
- Doubletree Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Andes Mint Cake Mix Cookies
Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pin Recipe
Rate Recipe
Print Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 7-8 drops red food coloring
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup drained and chopped maraschino cherries
Instructions
-
In an electric stand mixer cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, until it is fluffy.
-
Add eggs, almond extract, and food coloring until it is well blended and an even pink color.
-
Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt until it forms a dough and no white streaks remain.
-
Gently fold in chopped cherries and chocolate chips.
-
Cover dough and place in fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
-
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Scoop balls of dough onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit on baking tray for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
-
Store in an air tight container for 5 days.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 17g |
Protein: 1g |
Fat: 6g |
Saturated Fat: 4g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g |
Monounsaturated Fat: 2g |
Trans Fat: 0.2g |
Cholesterol: 20mg |
Sodium: 69mg |
Potassium: 49mg |
Fiber: 1g |
Sugar: 10g |
Vitamin A: 136IU |
Calcium: 13mg |
Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Like this recipe? Leave a comment below!
Join Our Baking Community! I’ve created a fun and engaging group on Facebook, and I’d absolutely love for you to become a part of it! It’s a fantastic space where you can share your favorite recipes, ask any baking questions you might have, and stay up-to-date with all the new delicious recipes from Dinners, Dishes and Desserts, ensuring you never miss a beat!
Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #dinnersdishes so I can see all the wonderful DINNERS, DISHES, AND DESSERTS recipes YOU create!
And don’t forget to follow me across my social media channels, so you never miss a new post or a tasty recipe update!
Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram